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- 13 November 2001
Bankstown Square Christmas Display
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Speakers - Stewart Mr Tony
Business - Private Members Statements
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Page: 18461
Mr STEWART (Bankstown—Parliamentary Secretary) [6.01 p.m.]: I again raise strong concerns in relation to the decision by Bankstown Square centre management, Lend Lease, to scale down this year's Christmas display at that shopping complex. Since raising the issue in this House last Friday I have received an anticipated reaction from Lend Lease management, which has attempted to downplay the concerns I have raised and to deny publicly that there has been any scaling down of Christmas displays at Bankstown Square. Put bluntly, Lend Lease management has misled and lied to the general public about this issue. Without question, there has been a substantial scaling down of Christmas at Bankstown Square this year. That is highlighted by Lend Lease's publicly issued memo, which I again quote to the House. The memo, which is signed by Rachael Turner, the Promotions Manager of Bankstown Square, and was issued to the general public a week ago, reads in part:
- The decision to scale down our Christmas decorations was made in December 2000.
- This was a commercial decision, allowing us to redirect additional marketing funds towards other marketing activities throughout the year.
Without question, there has been a substantial downgrading of Christmas at Bankstown Square and that is highlighted by Lend Lease's response to what has been said publicly. The memo to which I have referred has not been acknowledged by Lend Lease, but it has been circulated throughout the entire Bankstown community. The facts leading up to the decision by Bankstown Square management to scale down this year's Christmas displays at the shopping complex are clear. I acknowledge that there are some Christmas decorations at Bankstown Square, including a Christmas tree and a small nativity scene. However, it must be pointed out that for the first time in more than 20 years Bankstown Square's entire centre court walk-through Christmas display has been removed.
Today, prior to the resumption of the Parliament, I visited Bankstown Square. I walked through the entire shopping complex and observed the Christmas decorations that were in place. I have to describe those decorations as tacky, without any real Christmas spirit to them. The small nativity scene was almost hidden behind the Christmas tree; it was not in the normal centre court display where it always has been. Appallingly, there is not one sign in the entire Bankstown Square shopping complex that says "Christmas" or "Merry Christmas".
There is no acknowledgement of Christmas whatsoever at Bankstown Square, and that is disturbing in itself. For many years Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and people of other faiths have strongly shared in the spirit of peace, unity and harmony which has traditionally been part of Christmas at Bankstown, centrally focused at Bankstown Square. Now, sadly, a commercial decision—according to Lend Lease's memo, possibly reinforced by events post 11 September—has resulted in Lend Lease management substantially pulling the plug on Christmas in Bankstown.
This morning I contacted Murray Bell, the chief executive officer of Lend Lease retail. I said to Mr Bell, "I urge you, in light of the importance of this issue to the Bankstown and wider community, to bring a proper Christmas display and walk-through Christmas scene back to Bankstown Square's centre court." This afternoon Murray Bell rang my office to say that it was not possible to have the Christmas display back at Bankstown Square's centre court. Sadly, through this decision Mr Bell has, in effect, stolen an important part of Christmas from the children and families of Bankstown and the surrounding area. Sadly, in this case the spirit of commercialism has won through against the spirit of Christmas.
Mr O'Doherty: Shame.
Mr STEWART: It is a shame. I am disgusted by the approach taken by Lend Lease. I am disgusted by the fact that Lend Lease has publicly denied that there has been any downscaling of Christmas displays. Only 10 minutes ago on the Mike Carlton program on 2UE Murray Bell denied the situation. Anyone who cares to walk through Bankstown Square will clearly see that Christmas has been downgraded. Many of my constituents have complained bitterly about this, and the complaints have come from all types of people who share the spirit of unity and peace that Christmas brings in our local area.
It has been rumoured that this has been done because of a Muslim focus in Bankstown. That could not be further from the truth. The Muslim community shares and celebrates the spirit of Christmas and the harmony and peace that it perpetuates, as we do with the spirit of Ramadan that is soon to be celebrated in my electorate of Bankstown. Lend Lease needs to revise its decision, go back to putting on a full Christmas display at Bankstown Square as it did before, and bring Christmas back to the people of Bankstown.
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