A state Labor MP has demanded plans to sell the historic Victoria Barracks in Sydney’s east be abandoned, arguing the site is one of the military’s most important and should remain in public hands.
Coogee MP Marjorie O’Neill has urged her Labor colleague, federal Defence Minister Richard Marles, to “immediately reconsider” his decision to sell the barracks, which was named in a sweeping audit of the 3 million-hectare defence estate portfolio, identifying properties whose sale could free up billions of dollars for the federal budget.
The sale of Victoria Barracks would also provide land for new inner-city homes at a time when the NSW Minns government is trying to dramatically boost housing supply to help ease the worsening crisis.
O’Neill, whose electorate neighbours the Paddington site, on Thursday wrote to Marles urging him to “halt the proposed sale and commit to keeping Victoria Barracks, Sydney in public ownership”.
“Victoria Barracks, Sydney is not surplus land, nor is it a disposable asset. It is one of Australia’s most important military, operational, and heritage sites, with a continuous history dating back to the 1840s,” her letter said.
“From the earliest days of colonial forces, through Federation, and into the modern Australian Defence Force, Victoria Barracks has played a central role in shaping Australia’s defence capability and national identity.
“Generations of service men and women have passed through its gates, and its buildings and grounds stand as a living record of their service and sacrifice.”
O’Neill argues that, rather than displace the Headquarters Forces Command (which provides training), Australian Defence Force families, the Australian Army Band, and Headquarters 2nd Health Brigade, staff now working from commercial offices in Sydney’s CBD could be relocated.
“This presents a clear opportunity to relocate personnel currently housed in leased commercial accommodation at Defence Plaza Sydney, which costs taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually,” O’Neill said in the letter.
“Consolidating these functions within Victoria Barracks, Sydney would reduce long-term estate expenditure, eliminate costly commercial leasing, and strengthen organisational cohesion by co-locating command, training, health, legal, personnel, and enabling functions on a Defence-owned site.”
O’Neill’s letter argued Victoria Barracks represented “far more than bricks and mortar”.
“It is the spiritual home of the Australian Army,” she said. “Our history should never be balanced away on a spreadsheet.”
The Albanese government this week confirmed islands, golf courses, rifle ranges, office buildings and training depots across the country would be sold under its long-awaited response to the audit.
The release of the government’s response to the audit was delayed by more than two years as it braced for blowback from veterans and local communities to the sale of some of the country’s most iconic defence facilities.
“The heritage value of these properties does not belong to the Australian Army or, for that matter, the Australian Defence Force. It belongs to the Australian people,” Marles said this week.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter
From our partners
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
