Paul Keating urges James Packer to reconsider Barangaroo hotel and casino but definitely keep it off the grass
Former prime minister Paul Keating – and former chairman of the Barangaroo Design Excellence Review Panel – has told James Packer that his planned hotel and casino complex at Barangaroo should not be built on an area earmarked for public open space.
Keating met Packer yesterday to discuss the proposal for a new high-rise, six-star hotel in the middle of the 22-hectare harbourfront development site.
In a statement released last night, Keating said he had taken Packer through the history of the Barangaroo site and its important design principles.
''I told him that the principal civic dividend from the project was its near 60% public open space – and that I regarded the public amenity of these lands as inviolate,'' Keating said.
He said Packer ''respected that view but to the extent that Lend Lease failed to reach an agreement with him, he was commercially bound to press for an alternative hotel site which may devolve to those lands, or part of those lands, currently earmarked for theatres and entertainment within the Barangaroo Centre precinct''.
When contacted by the The Daily Telegraph, Packer said: "I was heartened by some of Mr Keating's comments.
"I always enjoy spending time with Mr Keating. He's an Australian who has made a huge contribution to the country."
Their meeting followed criticism of the Packer plan by Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore.
Premier Barry O'Farrell is set to be further briefed on Packer's proposal.
''Any premier would be a mug if people are saying we want to invest a billion dollars in NSW not to at least hear those proponents out,'' he told ABC radio.
''There are a whole range of regulatory hurdles that Mr Packer's company would have to go through that are decided at arm’s length from government before any of this comes to government for a decision.''




