Broadcaster Alan Jones compared A-League arrests to "terrorism in Paris". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In blistering interviews with Senator Simon Birmingham and Environment Minister Greg Hunt late last year, the 2GB host accused the ministers of "compromising the Prime Minister" and exposing him to a "Julia Gillard moment" where his decision to approve directly conflicted with his previous promises. Jones even claimed the decision could cost Mr Abbott his seat. Mr Hunt agreed to a walkthrough of the site in the days before Christmas in an attempt to placate Jones. Parliamentary secretary to the environment Bob Baldwin replaced Senator Simon Birmingham in the December reshuffle and asked for the approval to be reviewed.

The site of the proposed Middle Head development. In a letter to Middle Head Healthcare, received on Tuesday, Mr Baldwin officially revoked the approval, citing public access to the Trust land and the need to "protect, conserve and interpret the environmental and heritage values of Trust land". But questions have quickly emerged about how the process was undertaken. Mr Baldwin sent an initial letter on February 10, warning the company's director Teelia Peploe that he was considering revoking approval. The company, which had undergone a three-year process and three different environmental impact statements, was given time to reply. But on February 6, four days before the company received that first letter, Jones told his listeners: "This matter is in excellent hands with the parliamentary secretary Bob Baldwin and I can't say too much but even during my holidays I was in discussions with Bob Baldwin and Mr Hunt and those discussions have been ongoing and I think the common sense that you are talking about will prevail, I can't say any more than that at this stage."

To be told that work must be ceased is devastating and completely perplexing given the amount of support for the project from the Prime Minister down On February 26, more than two months before the proponents were alerted to the final decision, Jones told outraged listener "Stefanie", who gardens at the site, that good news was coming. "Stefanie, I hope we'll have some good news for you. I'm just waiting 'til it is the appropriate time, certain processes have to be applied, but I think on the last one you might be in front," he said. The development had been pushed by the cash-strapped Sydney Harbour Federation Trust but it conflicted with Mr Abbott's previous statements that he had taken an active role in preserving the harbour foreshore for the public. Mr Abbott had been accused by members of the Mosman and Balmoral Liberal branches of backflipping on previous promises to protect the heritage of the former naval site when Senator Birmingham gave federal government approval for an 89-bed home on a 25 year lease in October 2014.

In a speech in April 2012, Mr Abbott said: "Largely at my instigation, the Howard government committed more than $115 million to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust to preserve the natural and built heritage of places like North Head and Middle Head." Angry local constituents who deluged Mr Abbott's office with complains were sent letters by the Prime Minister Abbott defending the approval, saying the north shore was desperately short of aged care beds and he knew from his time as health minister that they make "good neighbours". Middle Head Healthcare had been on the site with technical engineers for three months, preparing to refurbish the cluster of buildings that have remained derelict for the past two decades. The approval backflip will almost certainly lead to a large claim for financial compensation by the company. Ms Peploe told Fairfax Media she had not considered the next step but said she was "devastated and copmpletely perplexed" by the decision.

"We're obviously dismayed having gone through such a robust planning process," she said. "To be told that work must be ceased is devastating and completely perplexing given the amount of support for the project from the Prime Minister down. 'We're trying to come to terms with this decision. We can respect it but we certainly don't understand it." She said she was not aware to what extent Mr Jones' intervention turned the tide. "I don't listen to Alan Jones. All I can do is seek to find out what could have led to this happening," Ms Peploe said. "The government has to demonstrate its commitment to the aged care sector, to small business and proper planning processes."

The government had promised the developers would spend $3.5 million on new parklands and lookouts to compensate for the loss of public access to the Defence buildings and surrounds. Mr Baldwin's letter revealed for the first time the aged-care company had agreed to pay the Trust a rent of $1.2 million a year over the 25-year life of the lease. Mr Abbott's sister, Jane Vincent, a local resident, publicly opposed the development. Mr Baldwin is expected to officially announce that approval has been revoked by Monday. Comment has been sought from Jones.