NO, MINISTER

Sartor confused on Jamberoo development

JROO Forum appear to have lost any chance of government intervention into the Crighton Properties resort complex proposed for Jamberoo after a confused Minister for Planning officially ruled the option out while in Nowra last Friday.

When asked whether the government was yet to officially rule out intervening in the proposed development, a clearly confused Frank Sartor (right) needed to be reminded about the details of the project before then claiming to have met with members of the Forum in his Sydney office.

Kiama MP Matt Brown had promised local lobby group JROO Forum members an audience with Mr Sartor earlier this year but as yet it has not been scheduled.

When asked by Kiama Independent reporter Richard Payne about the likelihood of the meeting with the JROO forum, Mr Sartor responded that the meeting had already taken place in his Sydney office.

Mr Brown was quick to step in at the press conference and correct the Minister, who was then forced to state that he had not in fact met with the JROO Forum.

What more can I tell them, he then stated, in an attempt to cover his mistake.

JROO Forum appear to have lost any chance of government intervention into the Crighton Properties resort complex proposed for Jamberoo after a confused Minister for Planning officially ruled the option out while in Nowra last Friday.

When asked whether the government was yet to officially rule out intervening in the proposed development, a clearly confused Frank Sartor (right) needed to be reminded about the details of the project before then claiming to have met with members of the Forum in his Sydney office.

Kiama MP Matt Brown had promised local lobby group JROO Forum members an audience with Mr Sartor earlier this year but as yet it has not been scheduled.

When asked by Kiama Independent reporter Richard Payne about the likelihood of the meeting with the JROO forum, Mr Sartor responded that the meeting had already taken place in his Sydney office.

Mr Brown was quick to step in at the press conference and correct the Minister, who was then forced to state that he had not in fact met with the JROO Forum.

What more can I tell them, he then stated, in an attempt to cover his mistake.

There has been a moratorium introduced and that can not be determined retrospectively. It is very difficult at the moment as we have to provide aged care housing and a total review of the policy is almost complete. There is really nothing more I can tell them.

At that point both Mr Sartor and his minder called an abrupt end to the press conference.

Mr Sartor wasnt down here to talk about the Crightons development, Kiama MP Matt Brown said the Ministers defence this week.

I think the question threw him a little bit. I must admit he didnt answer it as silky as he could have.

The reason he said he had met with the JROO Forum is that he knew that I wanted to bring them up and he knew that he had dealt with the issue. I have spoken to him a lot about the issue.

JROO Forum spokesman Linda Fairers said she believed the Minister may have been caught off guard by the questions, instead directing her frustration toward Mr Brown for failing to secure the promised meeting.

We would still like to meet with the Minister as we still feel we have many areas of this policy to discuss. We do not think the whole issue is so cut and dried, she said.

Frank Sartor can still be the determining factor in all of this. We are still very disappointed that Matt Brown has not delivered the meeting he promised as there are still many legs to this issue we would like to discuss.

Mr Sartor was in Nowra to discuss the South Coast regional strategy.