As we learn more about the havoc created by the now-collapsed Sydney development company Toplace, the reaction of the NSW government looks increasingly inadequate. In particular, that of Premier Chris Minns seems decidedly underwhelming.
In response to the placing of Toplace into administration, Minns’ response yesterday was a tepid urging of fugitive owner Jean Nassif to “make himself available to investigators in NSW so that we can find out exactly what he’s done in this state and what his potential liabilities are”. Minns urged the victims of Toplace’s collapse — creditors, buyers who’ve paid deposits, and owners of unliveable apartments — to register with the administrators. “We need to allow those administrators to undertake their work.”
Not exactly thrusting, dynamic and leader-like.
Minns had nothing to offer about providing buyers of new dwellings greater assurance about building quality, purging the development sector of crooks and spivs or taking further steps to eliminate the political influence of developers.
Bizarrely, as a fresh-faced premier, he could have done so while criticising the NSW Coalition for its alleged links with Toplace, for moving too late to address the rampant problem of building defects in new developments, and for the efforts of Coalition figures to undermine the building commissioner under the previous government.
It’s a similar reaction to Minns’ efforts to ostentatiously distance himself from the extraordinary NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) findings of corrupt conduct by Gladys Berejiklian. On the release of ICAC’s report on Daryl Maguire and Berejiklian, Minns seemed to think the real problem was with ICAC, and said he wanted to reform it.
Labor supporters will interpret Minns as exhibiting a statesman-like refusal to engage in standard political mudslinging, preferring the lofty moral heights of focusing on the issues rather than attacking his opponents. But in both cases, an ulterior motive is clear. The ICAC report focused attention not merely on Berejiklian’s and Maguire’s misconduct but on the willingness of her government to engage in the allocation of taxpayer money for partisan purposes — something that Labor, now that it’s in government, might find a lot less repugnant than when in opposition. And Minns is clearly uncomfortable with the standard set by Berejiklian, and an array of Coalition ministers over the past decade, of standing down when under investigation by ICAC. Minns said he thinks ministers should not stand aside, now that he’s in office.
On development, Minns has made it clear that he favours expanding high-density building as the solution to the escalating unaffordability not merely of house prices but of rents. The collapse of Toplace, which confirms every home buyer’s suspicions about property developers, is an uncomfortable truth for politicians on all sides who think getting out of the way of developers is a solution to housing supply. No wonder there was a “nothing to see here, everything’s under control” tone to Minns’ response.
And yesterday Minns finally announced the go-ahead of the pointless cashless poker machine trial — and revealed the trial report wouldn’t be until November 2024.
The trial was always a delaying mechanism for Labor’s gambling industry donors, and it will deliver in spades. The November 2024 delivery date guarantees there’ll be no reform until the beginning of 2025 at the earliest. With a likely phase-in being recommended, it means cashless poker machines won’t be seen at least until the late 2020s, giving the industry several more years to make a fortune from gambling addicts.
The previous Coalition government had some profound flaws — John Barilaro being top of the list — but under Dominic Perrottet and Matt Kean it set a standard for integrity reform and willingness to take on the gambling industry that few others have matched. Minns and his government, on the other hand, are looking more and more like business-as-usual NSW Labor.
Minns seems remarkably determined to prevent anybody imagining he might have any worthwhile principles or intentions. He’s wasting no time bursting the bubble of anybody with any expectations. Getting the disappointments in early.
A lot like his federal counterparts.
Precisely.
Neoliberalism at its best (or worst) from ALP governments whose great talent appears to be disappointing those of us who expected better.
Plus la change and all of that.
Sorry, but apparently when you use that word, some otherwise reasonable people throw you out of the Overton window.
There is a virus going around. It seems to only attack Labor when they get elected into Government to undo the evil done by previous Governments. They turn to water.
Bring on the Teals and independents with enough numbers to force Labor to do that which should be done even when they don’t want to because it frightens them.
The Greens have done exactly that on public housing, forcing Labor into an immediate injection of cash into that area rather than waiting a year for the dividends to pay for it
Or, RW media cartel avoiding policy analysis over time in favour of ongoing negative & often personal talking points to denigrate Labor, centre etc. and white ant support, whether in government or not, while disappearing &/or running protection for the LNP etc.; imported US Fox style ‘fair and balanced’ media coverage, as opposed to the previous ‘fairness doctrine’ to inform citizens.
Yes wheres OUR ABC WITH Mad As Hell !! Oh the neo libs are killing off any commentary or culture ! Gawd Micallef would excoriate the corruption and ineptitude and waste
I’ve been rewatching the first season of Mad As Hell lately, made back when Gillard was the Prime Minister. Interesting blast from the past. So strange seeing all the same federal Labor politicians we have now parodied then, they’re just younger.
we can’t afford to waste time with “relaxed and comfortable” politicians — we need politicians who are terrified about the current Climate Catastrophe and are willing to move heaven and earth to try humanity’s future
And ones who look around and see the horror of social unrest inequality causes. What do have instead? Politicians steadily making protest and dissent illegal with harsh penalties for those who dare to do either.
Minns is weak and spineless, failing on gambling reform, letting the police force continue their contemptible attitude to responsibility for “alleged” police assaults, building developer failures. The most important thing for him is to get his hair gelled every morning.