In the days leading up to Christmas the large parcel of public land on the Lake Illawarra foreshore was put up for sale through a “Registration of Interest” process that was tasked with developing a “divestment strategy”.

The Registration of Interest process is conducted by a commercial real estate agent and closed last Friday.

NSW Shadow Minister for Property, Steve Kamper MP, said that a future NSW Labor Government would keep the land in public hands.

“When it comes to the future of this important land on the foreshore of Lake Illawarra the difference is clear – a re-elected Perrottet Government will sell it; Labor will not.

“A future Labor Government will not sell off this land to fill a budget blackhole for a Sydney project”, Mr Kamper said.

NSW Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully MP, said that a Minns Labor Government would instead master plan the site with a view to turning it into one of the great public spaces in the Illawarra for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike.

“Since the surprise announcement of the Perrottet Government’s sale plans there has been a clear view from the community that activation of the site for jobs and tourism is supported with green space retained, but people don’t want to see it sold off.

“The local opposition to the sale has been considerable and has included a bipartisan approach from Wollongong City Council to the Perrottet Government to stop the sale”, Mr Scully said.

“The site can be better utilised and should be better utilised, but it should not be sold off to the highest bidder to achieve that.

“The land won’t be sold under a Minns Labor Government”, he said.

Mr Kamper said that the re-election of the Perrottet Government was a threat to a range of public assets with the Premier refusing to rule out future privatisations of agencies like Sydney Water, Endeavour Energy and Sydney Trains, which all provide services to the Illawarra.