Ben Fordham reveals truth behind NSW Premier Chris Minns’ interaction with Sydney Mayor over Moore Park Golf Course

NSW Premier Chris Minns has come under pressure following a comment he made on 2GB regarding his interaction with Sydney Mayor Clover Moore over the controversial decision to seize part of Moore Park Golf Course.

The Minns government announced plans over the weekend to cut the iconic Sydney golf course from 18 holes to nine, and build a new public park on part of the land once the lease ends. 

During an interview with 2GB host Ben Fordham, the Premier was asked whether Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore had been lobbying him to cut the golf course in half amid backlash from local Sydneysiders. 

Mr Minns said “I don’t think I’ve spoken to her directly about it at all”, which Fordham later revealed was not true after his office had contacted the radio station to issue a correction. 

“Chris Minns has been in contact with us off air and he wants to correct something he said in the interview,” Fordham told his listeners after the interview. 

“He’s (Premier) had a re-think…and he now says he did have a conversation with Clover Moore about it, apparently she raised it with Mr Minns a number of months ago.” 

Earlier in the interview, Mr Minns said it was “not an easy decision to make”, however having public parklands close to the CBD means more people and their families can use the land. 

“I’m not going to lie Moore Park Golf Course is an extremely popular golf course, like half a million visitors a year…however centennial park parklands have about 35 million visitors a year, its just going to be used by a lot more Australians closer to the city,” he said. 

“I’ve got to think about where we use public land…if we get more people through it as an open public park, more kids playing soccer, more opportunity for cricket, more opportunity for families to spend time together where they don’t have to put their hand into their pockets.”

Clover Moore, who proposed to turn part of the golf course into parkland back in 2021, has welcomed the state government’s decision. 

“For the thousands of people in or moving into apartments in the Green Square urban renewal area, Moore Park is their back yard,” she said on Facebook. 

“Soon the fences will be brought down and this large and growing community invited to enjoy the beautiful parkland freely.

“The government has accepted our proposal to convert the course from 18 holes to 9, retaining the larger area of land for golf, the clubhouse, depots, parking and popular driving range, and returning up to 20 hectares of land to Moore Park for public recreation.

“The government will soon commence public consultation with the local community and stakeholders on how best to revitalise the parkland.” 

Meanwhile, the controversial plan has prompted backlash online, with many arguing that Moore Park Golf Course is already open to the public. 

“So disappointed that Moore Park golf club has been taken away by this mindless labor government,” one user wrote on Twitter. 

“200,000 people play at moore park every year. It is the most open, diverse, social and friendly golf club in Sydney,” another said. 

“You’ve completely missed the point – Moore Park is a PUBLIC golf course, open to all, that has a golf club attached to it that gets access to tee times. 80% of the golf played there is public access golf,” a third said.