The Albanese government seems to think that promising to spend the proceeds of its Defence property sell-off on the military somehow excuses it cashing in on irreplaceable pieces of Australia’s history.
asserted
it → seem → history
It doesn’t.
asserted
It → do → ?
It merely tells us where the money will go after the damage is done.
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damage → tell → us
The proposed sale of Victoria Barracks in Sydney, alongside dozens of other defence properties, is expected to deliver about $1.8billion.
asserted
sale → propose → 1.8billion
You get the money once, but you surrender the assets forever.
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you → get → assets
Once the money is spent, the military will still need funding.
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military → spend → funding
The difference is that Australians will no longer own the land.
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Australians → own → land
If the government wants to invest more in our military, or anything else for that matter, it could tighten its belt elsewhere and redirect spending.
uncertain
it → want → spending
Fixing these problems would deliver additional defence funding without sacrificing a single hectare of public property.
asserted
Fixing → fix → property
But apparently selling something irreplaceable is easier than making difficult decisions.
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selling → sell → decisions
That is not to suggest that every Defence property must be retained.
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property → suggest → ?
Some sites can sensibly be let go.
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sites → let → ?
But Victoria Barracks isn’t some forgettable office block that has reached the end of its useful life.
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that → reach → life
Established in 1840, with the main barracks completed in 1848, it predates Federation by more than half a century.
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it → establish → century
The Albanese Government seems to think that promising to spend the proceeds of its Defence property sell-off on the military somehow excuses it cashing in on irreplaceable pieces of Australia’s history
The proposed sale of Victoria Barracks in Sydney, alongside dozens of other defence properties, is expected to deliver about $1.8billion
Its sandstone buildings connect Australia’s colonial military history with the Army that serves the nation today.
This government has temporary custody of that inheritance.
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government → seem → inheritance
It should stop behaving as though it’s been given a licence to cash it in.
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it → stop → it
And let’s be clear about what is being proposed here.
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what → let → ?
The published government materials describe sales, including heritage obligations to be negotiated with future owners.
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materials → publish → owners
Even a lease of that length would deserve serious scrutiny.
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lease → deserve → scrutiny
But at least a properly structured lease could retain public ownership, with possession eventually returning when the term expires.
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term → structure → ownership
An outright sale contains no such safeguards.
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sale → contain → safeguards
The reassuring talk about heritage protections misses the point entirely.
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talk → miss → point
Requiring a private owner to preserve a sandstone facade is not the same as preserving public ownership of a nationally significant place.
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Requiring → require → place
For example, a heritage preserved site gives no guarantees to future public access to the historically significant asset.
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site → preserve → asset
A building can remain standing while Australians lose control of, and access to, its future.
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Australians → remain → control
A building can remain standing while Australians lose control of, and access to, its future
Nor is this argument confined to heritage, or even to military needs.
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argument → remain → needs
Land no longer required by Defence isn’t necessarily land no longer required by the public.
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Land → require → public
That distinction should be obvious, but apparently it needs spelling out.
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it → need → ?
Victoria Barracks occupies 13 hectares in Paddington.
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Barracks → occupy → Paddington
Governments can’t manufacture another equivalent parcel of land in an established inner-city suburb whenever a future need arises.
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need → manufacture → suburb
Across the wider Defence estate, land might be suitable for schools, health facilities, parks, open space or other public infrastructure needed as cities get more congested courtesy of more high-rise developments.
uncertain
cities → need → developments
Not every site will suit every purpose, but declaring a property unnecessary for military operations certainly doesn’t settle its value to the community.
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property → suit → community
As populations grow, those possibilities become more important, not less.
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possibilities → grow → ?
Our cities need to grow upwards as well as outwards.
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cities → need → ?
But more people living closer together increases the need for public facilities and places where they can get outside.
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they → live → facilities
Selling the land today, then discovering tomorrow that we need some of it back, is exactly the sort of lack of forethought you’d expect from short term minded politicians.
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you → sell → politicians
Peter Van Onselen (pictured) writes governments of either persuasion are capable of confusing stewardship with a chance to cash in
A future government could attempt to repurchase it or compulsorily acquire it, but at what price?
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government → picture → price
And with how many of the original opportunities already lost?
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many → lose → opportunities
I have a personal reason for finding this thinking so infuriating.
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thinking → have → reason
I grew up with her working there, with our family living in a separate house on the site.
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family → grow → site
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia
