Letter to the Editor – 01.03.2024

01 March 2024

The Editor
Northern Daily Leader
27 Bourke Street
Tamworth NSW 2340
Via email

Proposed Sale of Council Car Park Kable Avenue and Ray Walsh House

The Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc (TRRRA) is a non-profit association whose charter is to represent to Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) and other government bodies on behalf of TRC residents on matters that affect their interests by any person, organisation, or government body.

The below comments are made as a matter of public interest to assist the Tamworth Regional Council in its decision making.

It was reported that Ray Walsh House (RWH) would have $2 million spent on removal of all the internal walls and floor coverings in TRC business papers. TRC in their media release of 26 February said that $1 million had been spent on this task.

The public was informed that stage two will involve removing the ceiling, stripping out asbestos containing vermiculite and then reinsulating the building at an estimated cost of $10 million estimated by NSW Public Works. Some experienced local builders express scepticism at this estimate.

TRC has now committed to do nothing about Ray Walsh House until the next election. Is that an adequate answer?

TRC needs to provide all of the unredacted documents related to the asbestos issues to the TRC Councillors and to the public.

It appears that none of the Councillors, at least at a formal level, have been notified of any discussions or proposals about the future of RWH.

The Councillors need to be much more active in holding the TRC bureaucracy to account.