Goss overrides casino protests

Wednesday, March 17, 1993 - 10:00

Goss overrides casino protests

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE — The Goss government is pushing ahead with the controversial Treasury Building casino project, despite Queensland Heritage Council and public rejection of the development.

The heritage body on March 5 recommended against the casino plan for the historic Treasury and the conversion of the nearby Lands Administration building into a luxury hotel on the grounds that the project would destroy the area's cultural heritage significance.

Treasurer Keith De Lacy said the casino would go ahead because of the economic and employment stimulus which would flow from the Jupiters casino licence fee of $130 million.

The plan has been blasted by the National Trust, architects, conservationists and church leaders.

Prominent Uniting Church minister the Reverend Tom Rees-Thomas said Cabinet rejection of the Heritage Council report would be a "denial of democracy."

Accusations by Deputy Premier Tom Burns that the Treasury Building was "moulding away" were rejected by the National Trust, which claimed the only reason the government sought Heritage Council approval was to gain some legitimacy for its "degradation of our heritage".

From GLW issue 92