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Mr BARTLETT (Port Stephens) [4.41 p.m.]: Tonight I refer to the Commonwealth Government's proposed sale by tender of Gan Gan army camp which is located in my electorate between Nelson Bay Road and Gan Gan Road. The land, which occupies about 97 hectares, is located approximately four kilometres from Boat Harbour and three to four kilometres from Nelson Bay. In 1916 the Commonwealth Government resumed about 3,000 hectares of land in the Port Stephens area for the east coast naval base. The Gan Gan army camp was included in that area. The Commonwealth built the army camp in the Gan Gan area in 1942 and, as such, it has some heritage value today.
In 1955 that land was transferred from the State to the Commonwealth. The Federal member for Paterson, Bob Baldwin, is now claiming that the State has an obligation to bid for this block of land which was given to the Commonwealth by the State in 1955. I have ascertained that the Commonwealth formally acquired the land by way of notice in the Commonwealth Government Gazette on 31 March 1955, although the area had been in use for defence purposes from the early 1940s. In May 1942 the then New South Wales Premier advised all State agencies that they should act "in a generous manner" when the Commonwealth required land for defence purposes and should not seek to make a profit in these circumstances. I have established that, to date, the Commonwealth has never paid any money for this land.
There is considerable community resentment about the proposed sale by tender of this land. This 97-hectare block is a significant component in a vegetation corridor between Tomaree National Park and Tilligery Nature Reserve. The land contains candidate old-growth forests of Sydney sand apple blackbutt that have been largely undisturbed for 50 years. These forests are a known and predicted habitat for a number of threatened species. The community has always regarded this land as part of the natural area of Port Stephens electorate. The land, which adjoins Tomaree National Park, would fit in well with the existing Tomaree National Park, which was established in 1983-84.
As I said earlier, the community is up in arms about this proposed land sale. Two hundred people attended public meetings to protest about the proposed sale by tender of this land, which was given to the Commonwealth for military purposes during the war. Presumably the State Government will have to bid against anybody interested in purchasing this land. The State does not feel morally obliged to buy land that was given to the Commonwealth at a time of need—land that is a great habitat for different species of flora and fauna in the Tomaree area. Port Stephens is renowned for its water and for its environment. This is a direct attack on the Port Stephens environment.
I say to the Federal member for Patterson who is demanding that the State buy back this land from the Department of Defence: Represent the people of Port Stephens, secure this land and include it in the national estate. The land in question has a high conservation value. On 17 November 1999 the Department of Defence was advised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of its longstanding interest in Gan Gan army camp. The National Parks and Wildlife Service urged the Commonwealth to set aside a large portion of land for conservation. The Federal member for Patterson claimed that there has been no attempt by the State to purchase this parcel of land.
Miss BURTON (Kogarah—Parliamentary Secretary) [4.45 p.m.]: I pay tribute to the honourable member for Port Stephens for the hard work he does in his electorate. Once again the Federal Government is attempting to make this State pay. It is abrogating its responsibility and it is trying to blame the State Government. The Federal Government will not come clean on its part of the deal or live up to any of its funding arrangements. It is gutting funding from education and health in New South Wales. It has no respect for the environment or for the community of Port Stephens. Once again the Federal Government is trying to pass the buck to the State Government. The Federal Government has responsibility for these issues. We often debate urgent motions in this House condemning the Federal Government for not doing the right thing by the people of New South Wales. This is just another example.