THE Awabakal land council appears set to call for expressions of interest from joint venture partners to redevelop the old Newcastle post office, despite being under investigation over its governance and financial management.
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The launch of expressions of interest for the site by the land council has been promoted on the agenda of a lunchtime symposium on the future of the building to be hosted by the Hunter chapter of the Property Council at Newcastle City Hall on June 9.
Awabakal deputy chair Richard Green is listed as one of the speakers, along with heritage consultant Tessa Boer-Mah, EJE Architecture director Barney Collins and senior Suters architect Angus Rose.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Leslie Williams appointed an investigator in November to look into the affairs of the land council, after an earlier investigation by Aboriginal Lands Act registrar Stephen Wright found grounds for “a more comprehensive investigation”.
The investigation exceeded its expected three-month timespan but a spokesperson for Ms Williams confirmed on Friday it was in the minister’s hands.
“The minister has just received the report of the investigator appointed to investigate the affairs of the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, and is yet to determine any further action,” the spokesperson said.
When contacted by the Herald on Friday, Mr Green said the launch was “up in the air at the moment”.
“We didn’t agree on that stuff,” he said, before abruptly ending the call.
Later attempts to contact both Mr Green and interim chair Nicole Steadman were unsuccessful.
The Property Council believes the post office could be redeveloped in the style of iconic heritage buildings in Sydney, such as the Westin Hotel and Queen Victoria Building, and has formed a technical advisory committee to generate ideas.
Regional director Andrew Fletcher said he was surprised by Mr Green’s comments, as the program for the June 9 lunch had been developed in consultation with Awabakal, but the event would proceed regardless.
“We would prefer to have their involvement but we want to put ideas forward and generate discussion,” he said.
Although the Property Council has been driving redevelopment concepts for the post offfice, Mr Fletcher said it had no formal arrangement with Awabakal.
“We reached out to them because they are the owners,” he said.
“We take a leadership position on various things around the city and the conservation of heritage buildings is one of them.”
