Opposition claims about old brewery restoration misleading

21/12/93

Opposition claims that work was to proceed 'full steam ahead' at the old Swan Brewery have proved to be misleading, according to official information received by the State Government from the brewery's developer.

Bluegate Nominees - a subsidiary of construction company Multiplex - has confirmed that work on the redevelopment of the old Swan Brewery is to shut down later this week - at least until the end of January.

The construction company says that at this stage it cannot advise the Government as to what extent it will continue work in the New Year.

Heritage Minister Richard Lewis said Bluegate's inability to confirm its ongoing intentions highlighted the inaccuracy of claims by Opposition heritage spokesman Jim McGinty that work was to continue on the site.

"It is obvious from the position that Bluegate has described that Mr McGinty was clearly misleading in repeatedly claiming that it was full steam ahead at the brewery site," Mr Lewis said.

In a letter to Mr Lewis, Bluegate Nominees said it had completed the restoration work on time, had three years to finish the project, but could not fix a work schedule for the New Year because of changing circumstances.

Bluegate Nominees earlier wrote to the Government indicating that it intended closing down the site for some 18 months until July 1995.

Now Bluegate says it will be closing the site down until January 27, but will not be able to inform the Government of its intentions until applications for liquor licences have been dealt with.

Mr Lewis said he was disappointed at the company's response to the request for more information because the public was entitled to know exactly what was going to happen at the site.

"There has always been a degree of public disquiet over plans to redevelop the old brewery site because of the 'behind closed doors' approach taken by the previous government," he said.

"It would be in everybody's best interests - particularly the public's - if Bluegate could be more definite with its intentions."

However, Mr Lewis said he appreciated the problem the company faced in meeting the Government's request because of the uncertainty surrounding its application for liquor licences.

"I have written again to Bluegate Nominees asking them to give a more definite schedule of works," he said.

"The brewery site is a public asset and the community has the right to know what is being proposed."

Media contact:  Paul Plowman  222 9595 : 221 1377