Foreign Ownership on a Commercial Scale

[Neferti]

WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY and WHITLAM.

Leftards have a lot to answer for.

[Black Orchid]

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has washed her hands of the controversial sale of one of the state's most significant heritage buildings, the Sydney GPO, saying she won't be speaking out in favour of keeping the building in public ownership.

And prominent heritage architect and Sydney city councillor Phillip Thalis has joined the chorus of concern over the sale, saying the Prime Minister should intervene.

Fairfax Media revealed last week that Australia Post has agreed to sell one of Sydney's most historic buildings, the GPO on Martin Place, to Singaporean billionaires Robert and Phillip Ng in a secretive $150 million deal, despite concerns raised in a heritage report it commissioned last year and never made public.

The March sale, subject to final regulatory approval from Commonwealth Heritage, came shortly after Australia Post chief executive Ahmed Fahour resigned in February over a pay controversy that attracted community criticism and a rebuke from the Prime Minister. The sale was never announced. Mr Fahour leaves Australia Post in July.

Asked twice how she personally felt about the sale of one of the state's most significant heritage buildings, Ms Berejilklian would not say, noting: "Certainly when we look at all of our assets at a state level community consideration is one of the things we consider and we always also appreciate the heritage value of so many of our assets."

Asked if she agreed with the Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who condemned the sale last week, Ms Berejiklian said: "That's her opinion."

She said she would not be speaking out in favour of the GPO remaining in public ownership.

http://www.watoday.com.au/nsw/gladys-be ... picks=true

Clover Moore needs to take on the Armenian crow head to head.