Response From Bart Bassett To CAWB
Dear Mr Miller
I acknowledge receipt of your email containing correspondence regarding the Windsor Bridge replacement project which has been approved by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure in December 2013.
I note that you and other members of your organisation have requested a meeting with myself and the Members for Riverstone, Kevin Conolly and Hawkesbury Ray Williams to discuss certain points that you have raised in the correspondence pertaining to the approvals process for the proposed new bridge. I further note that one of the proposed discussion items relates to our collective vision, as Members of Parliament, for Windsor in 2020, which is no direct correlation with the bridge replacement project.
I like my colleague Kevin Connolly noted your offer that you would like to meet, "before commencing a major campaign in response to the Minister's action".
The Member for Riverstone is correct in his assertion that, If such a campaign has already been decided upon, it may appear that your request to meet is not a bona fide attempt at dialogue, but rather a step in that campaign. This impression is only reinforced through the inclusion in your letter of conditions on which you wish to meet, i.e. assurances of various kinds.
Until last night it was my intention to accept the request to meet with you in good faith and on the terms that were put to you by the Member for Riverstone, however after seeing footage of comments made by your spokesperson Ms Kate Mackaness from last night' Seven News Bulletin, I have now changed my mind and will not be meeting with you and/or representatives of CAWB now or ever!
Ms Mackaness told Seven News "the destruction of the hotel will almost certainly pave the way for a four lane highway to be built right through the middle of Australia's oldest town Square"
This statement from one of the leaders and spokespersons from your organisation does not to me indicate that you are willing to meet with an open mind and confirms my view that your organisation has already decided to embark, or should I say continue, a campaign against the State Coalition Government.
Ms Mackaness, I am informed was a senior advisor to the former State Labor Planning Minister Tony Kelly, who was found by the ICAC to have acted corruptly over the sale of lands owned by Unions NSW, the Industrial Wing of the Australian Labor Party.
The presence of a former Labor staffer, who I am told remains an active member of the Labor Party, as your organisations spokesperson demonstrates to me that CAWB is nothing more than a stalking horse for the Labor Party to push their political agenda against the State Liberal/Nationals Coalition Government.
I welcome debate, diversity of opinions and the right to protest against the decisions of elected governments and/or elected officials, however by allowing such a person to publically make fallacious statements, as was made on last night's Seven News Bulletin, I cannot respect your organisation and feel that you have to date not been fair or balanced in your approach to this issue.
Now that the bridge replacement project has been approved, after nearly six years of discussion, consultation, public exhibition processes and submissions, I concur with the Member for Riverstone’s view that there is no point in having a meeting to re-debate the perceived merits or failings of the project.
On a "without prejudice” basis I too respectfully accept that your organisation and your supporters do not support the project, however as outlined because of the continued presence of known operatives from the Australian Labor Party and the former State Labor Government on your organisations leadership group, I will now be declining the request to meet.
Yours sincerely,
Bart Bassett MP
Member for Londonderry
I acknowledge receipt of your email containing correspondence regarding the Windsor Bridge replacement project which has been approved by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure in December 2013.
I note that you and other members of your organisation have requested a meeting with myself and the Members for Riverstone, Kevin Conolly and Hawkesbury Ray Williams to discuss certain points that you have raised in the correspondence pertaining to the approvals process for the proposed new bridge. I further note that one of the proposed discussion items relates to our collective vision, as Members of Parliament, for Windsor in 2020, which is no direct correlation with the bridge replacement project.
I like my colleague Kevin Connolly noted your offer that you would like to meet, "before commencing a major campaign in response to the Minister's action".
The Member for Riverstone is correct in his assertion that, If such a campaign has already been decided upon, it may appear that your request to meet is not a bona fide attempt at dialogue, but rather a step in that campaign. This impression is only reinforced through the inclusion in your letter of conditions on which you wish to meet, i.e. assurances of various kinds.
Until last night it was my intention to accept the request to meet with you in good faith and on the terms that were put to you by the Member for Riverstone, however after seeing footage of comments made by your spokesperson Ms Kate Mackaness from last night' Seven News Bulletin, I have now changed my mind and will not be meeting with you and/or representatives of CAWB now or ever!
Ms Mackaness told Seven News "the destruction of the hotel will almost certainly pave the way for a four lane highway to be built right through the middle of Australia's oldest town Square"
This statement from one of the leaders and spokespersons from your organisation does not to me indicate that you are willing to meet with an open mind and confirms my view that your organisation has already decided to embark, or should I say continue, a campaign against the State Coalition Government.
Ms Mackaness, I am informed was a senior advisor to the former State Labor Planning Minister Tony Kelly, who was found by the ICAC to have acted corruptly over the sale of lands owned by Unions NSW, the Industrial Wing of the Australian Labor Party.
The presence of a former Labor staffer, who I am told remains an active member of the Labor Party, as your organisations spokesperson demonstrates to me that CAWB is nothing more than a stalking horse for the Labor Party to push their political agenda against the State Liberal/Nationals Coalition Government.
I welcome debate, diversity of opinions and the right to protest against the decisions of elected governments and/or elected officials, however by allowing such a person to publically make fallacious statements, as was made on last night's Seven News Bulletin, I cannot respect your organisation and feel that you have to date not been fair or balanced in your approach to this issue.
Now that the bridge replacement project has been approved, after nearly six years of discussion, consultation, public exhibition processes and submissions, I concur with the Member for Riverstone’s view that there is no point in having a meeting to re-debate the perceived merits or failings of the project.
On a "without prejudice” basis I too respectfully accept that your organisation and your supporters do not support the project, however as outlined because of the continued presence of known operatives from the Australian Labor Party and the former State Labor Government on your organisations leadership group, I will now be declining the request to meet.
Yours sincerely,
Bart Bassett MP
Member for Londonderry
