A GIANT new five-storey bar complex at The Rocks on Sydney Harbour has
been condemned by police and heritage groups.
And the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority has been called on to be more
transparent after it granted the lease of the Rawson Institute for Seamen to
a businessman without putting it out to public tender.
The authority confirmed that its chief executive officer, Robert Domm,
resigned on Friday for ''personal reasons'' unrelated to the stoush over the
historic building at 100 George Street.
The Sun-Herald understands the 100-year-old building has been
restored - using $6.25 million of taxpayers' money - for use as a bar and
restaurant owned by a family with strong links to the NSW Labor Party.
It aims to rival the luxury Ivy nightclub owned by Justin Hemmes further
along George Street.
Rocks heritage campaigner Jack Mundey said: ''It's a constant fight to
save The Rocks for history - we have to remain vigilant. This should have
been put out to tender and it should have been clear and transparent. I am
concerned about it because the foreshore authority has acted in a secretive
manner.''
The National Trust expressed concern that the heritage-listed building
would be used as a nightclub. The heritage group's core programs director
Scott Woodcock said: ''The National Trust believes the proposal to turn this
site into a nightclub may have fairly major physical impacts on the
building.''
The lease for the building, which also houses the former Mariners'
Church, was granted to a business run by the Kazal family, which already has
a number of leases on buildings in The Rocks.
A spokeswoman for the foreshore authority said: ''An expression of
interest was not required for 100 George Street as the current lessee was a
previous tenant of the building, and the authority was able to obtain the
best value for money, consistent with market value at the time.''
The Kazal family business, Australian World Trading Pty Ltd, has also
made a contribution to the Labor Party, donating $3700 to Bankstown MP Tony
Stewart. In 1999 Kazal family patriarch Karl was accused of the stacking of
450 people into the Lakemba Day party branch at Mr Stewart's behest.
It is understood that when ''Club 100'' opens next year it will
accommodate up to 700 people. . Its liquor licence was opposed by NSW
Police, who are cracking down on alcohol-related violence in the city.
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said he was frustrated by the
granting of the licence in an area already saturated with bars.
''We identified density, availability and alcohol strength as the biggest
contributing factors in relation to alcohol-related violence. Certainly the
issue of density in that particular area remains of concern to police and
hence our opposition to that particular application.''
Opening of the bar and restaurant complex was delayed when workers
discovered a 150-year-old colonial road, Bethel Street, buried under the
building.
A spokesman for the Kazal family Jason Bowditch refused to comment on the
development.
Family accused of receiving labor favours
THE success of the Kazal family business group, now operating under the
banner of Australian World Trading Pty Ltd, comes after previous allegations
in Federal Parliament of favours from the Labor Party, money laundering and
branch stacking.
In the past decade they have become one of the largest leaseholders in
The Rocks, with at least seven commercial premises acquired from the Sydney
Harbour Foreshore Authority (previously the Sydney Cove Authority).
Among businesses the Kazal group boasts along George Street in The Rocks
are Amoroma Ristorante, a luncheon haunt for Labor heavies such as lobbyist
Graham Richardson, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former premier
Morris Iemma.
The granting of the lease for ''Club 100'' in the historic Rawson
Institute for Seamen without public tender and without having to contribute
to the $6 million renovation is the second time the Kazal group has
benefited from government funds to open a nightclub, according to
allegations raised in the Senate 10 years ago.
According to Hansard, on September 1, 1999, West Australian senator Sue
Knowles expressed her concern that Jimmy Kazal had used a fictitious name in
a property deal in 1997. Under the name Anthony Contervento he bought a
property at Edmondson Park for $800,000. He then sold it to a charity newly
established by brothers Karl and Tarek Kazal 18 days later for $1,419,000.
