Electorate Media Releases

AT LONG LAST PLATYPUS CLEAN UP TO GET UNDERWAY

27th May 2009

Member for North Sydney, Joe Hockey MP, has welcomed Peter Garrett’s announcement that the clean up of HMAS Platypus at Neutral Bay has, at long last, been given the green light.

“In September 2007 the Howard government announced that $40 million would be provided by the Department of Defence to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust to allow the clean up of this toxic site to get underway.

“Since then, pollution has continued to leach into Sydney Harbour while an agreement between the Defence Department and the Harbour Trust was stuck in bureaucratic negotiations.

“From long and difficult experience, I know that it takes Ministerial intervention to keep these things moving but that has not been forthcoming from Mr Garrett and the process has therefore languished. 

“As a result the clean up of this site and its transformation into a wonderful new addition to the Harbour foreshore has been unnecessarily delayed.

“None-the-less, I am pleased that the clean up is finally about to start.

“Buried under Platypus are several tar pits from its days as a gas refinery.  These have been slowly leaking into the Harbour so the sites decontamination will be a great outcome for the Harbour environment."

Mr Hockey said that the Department of Defence originally intended to sell Platypus for a massive housing project.

“Following a spirited campaign from local residents, I secured a commitment from the Howard government to preserve this site as part of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust back in 2005.  The site will become a major new addition to the publicly accessible Harbour foreshore and an exciting community precinct. 

“Hopefully the transformation of Platypus can now get underway."