‘I’m not aware,’ says Greater Sydney Commission chief commissioner when asked about heritage loss in Sydney’s Haberfield as part of motorway project

Lucy Turnbull has said she is unaware of the destruction of heritage properties in the Sydney suburb of Haberfield in a radio interview defending the controversial WestConnex project in Sydney.

The federal shadow infrastructure and cities minister, Anthony Albanese, said the comments were “beyond belief” and questioned what Turnbull had been doing as Greater Sydney Commission chief commissioner.

On Tuesday Turnbull, a former Sydney lord mayor, was speaking on ABC radio’s 702 with Wendy Harmer about the relocation of Tropfest from Centennial Park to Parramatta Park, announced on Monday.

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After praising the relocation of Tropfest and the Powerhouse museum to Parramatta, Turnbull was asked about the WestConnex project.

She said it would complete the M4 motorway and increase capacity on the M5, and concluded “when we connect the M4 and the M5, that will be an excellent thing”.



Harmer then asked if her guest was disturbed about the loss of heritage in Haberfield, which is famously full of federation houses – the entire suburb is listed as a Conservation Area.

Turnbull replied: “Around Haberfield? I’m not aware that there are houses going to be demolished at Haberfield.

“I’m not aware of the loss of heritage at Haberfield, I have to tell you.”

Turnbull then said she would investigate the issue, but “in the meantime, can I say, it is being built”.

“When you drive out west to Parramatta and Penrith … you can hear the machines drilling away – it is happening.”

The National Trust lists a total of 13 heritage items to be demolished in Haberfield due to the WestConnex M4 East project, including federation houses such as 9 Wattle Street.

A further 53 houses are listed as proposed for demolition within the Haberfield conservation area.

Albanese took to Twitter to say the comment was “beyond belief”.

Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) On @702sydney it is beyond belief that Lucy Turnbull in charge of Sydney planning is "unaware" of any Haberfield homes being demolished

Albanese told Guardian Australia: “Given Lucy Turnbull’s statement that she is completely unaware of the impact of the WestConnex project on Haberfield, one wonders what she has been doing as chair of the Greater Sydney Commission.”

The state MP for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen, said it was astounding the head of the planning body had “no idea what is going on in Haberfield”.

“Anyone who has driven along Parramatta Road lately will know that we’ve lost swathes of heritage homes in what the National Trust has called the biggest hit on heritage in Australia,” she said.

“Turnbull’s comments are a slap in the face to the hundreds of families and residents dealing with unfair compulsory acquisitions and the devastating impacts of the demolition.”

The New South Wales government Westconnex Haberfield fact sheet acknowledges that some heritage items are impacted by the project, and says that those “directly impacted” will be photographed.

Destruction of heritage houses, including in Haberfield, has been the subject of community campaigns and numerous news reports on the project.

Westconnex is due to open to traffic in 2019. The M4 East section is due to extend the existing M4 motorway from Homebush to Haberfield.

A Greater Sydney Commission spokeswoman told Guardian Australia it was established in January to lead metropolitan planning for greater Sydney but the WestConnex project “was designed and approved prior to the establishment of the commission”.

“The Greater Sydney Commission understands there are aspects of WestConnex which have met with a lot of community concern.

“However, the commission was not involved in any issues consequential to stage one or stage two of the project, including compulsory acquisition of houses and heritage houses at Haberfield.”