Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison has challenged the NSW Government to extend its generosity and sell the local Lands Office to the people of Maitland for one dollar.
It follows the government’s decision to hand the vacant Moree Crown Lands Office to Moree Plains Shire Council on behalf of the community for just $1.
The deal takes the 120 year old building off the government’s auction block and puts it in public hands with the Moree Historical Society to potentially use as a local history museum.
Ironically this mirrors what the Maitland Regional Museum committee has already told the government it proposes for the vacant Lands Office at East Maitland.
In answer to questions Ms Aitchison recently put to Finance, Services and Property Minister Victor Dominello in Parliament, he admitted Property NSW has an unsolicited proposal from the Maitland Regional Museum for the Lands Office.
The delay with determining the future of the historic East Maitland building was that site restraints needed to be resolved prior to declaring the property surplus of whole of government requirements.
Quotes attributable to Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison;
“If the Berejiklian-Barilaro Government can give the Moree Crown Lands Building to that community for one dollar then it can offer the same deal to Maitland and I’ll gladly handover the gold coin donation.”
“I’ve campaigned hard along with my colleague Shadow Lands Minister the Hon. Mick Veitch for the retention of the Maitland Lands Office in public ownership.”
“As an active supporter of the Maitland Regional Museum proposal I now look forward to seeing Minister Dominello in Maitland with contract in hand to accept my gold coin on behalf of the community and do the deal.”
“The Berejiklian-Barilaro Government has now set the precedent for giving Lands Offices back to the community. The Liberals and Nationals must do the one dollar deal for Maitland otherwise Moree will be seen for what it is - pure pork barrelling.”
“The Maitland Lands Office is sitting vacant and the Maitland Regional Museum committee has a plan that can revitalise the building. It would be the worst case of double standards to deny the Maitland community the opportunity to use this historic building for a meaningful purpose.”
Quotes from Mick Veitch, Shadow Minister for Lands
“There are clearly two sets of rules for the Berejiklian Government – if they can do it for Moree they should offer the same deal for the Maitland community.
“This is another slap in the face for Maitland coming off the back of Crown Land job cuts which led to the closure in the first place.”
