DEAR News Of The Area,

IT has been a month now since the Sydney press exposed a secret plan on the part of the State Rail Corporation to “engage and partner with developers” to produce billions of dollars in windfall profits for the Government through capitalising to the maximum their property assets along railway lines.

I have heard nothing from the local enthusiasts for the NSW Government’s plan for the Jetty foreshore to indicate that this clear and undeclared conflict of interest on the part of the government (who, of course, have maintained that they have nothing but the good of Coffs Harbour at heart) might have affected their decision to urbanise the railway land at the Jetty. Apparently the Corporation’s business plan was signed off on by two senior ministers (Treasury and Finance).

Does this explain why the only constant from day one in this ‘not-for-profit’ venture has been the massive building out of the railway land regardless of the community’s wishes?

Regards,
Frank SCAHILL.