Verity’s ‘Highlight of the Year’

Verity Firth is dreaming.  Her claim (Village Voice, October 2) that the highlight of her last year “would probably be Callan Park - a really great example of working in conjunction with the local community” is pure fantasy.

As far as Callan Park is concerned, the community has strongly supported the retention of the psychiatric hospital, the protection of public open space and the restoration of heritage buildings and gardens.

Verity has been exactly no help in any of these issues.

Her main preoccupation has been to “spin” for whatever ruinous plan the likes of Frank Sartor and Morris Iemma have devised for Callan Park. She’s now apparently promoting a plan for Callan Parjk which would allow the NSW government to evade its responsiblities for mental health, remediation and heritage on the site - effectively dumping them on Leichhardt Council. The plan also demands Council agree to the subdivision of the site. This would open the way to the alienation and disposal of parts of the site.

There’s still time for Verity to make her dream come true, but it will require a form reversal.

Hall Greenland,

President - Friends of Callan Park

Publish in The Village Voice November ‘09