Callan Park could and should be the Centennial Park of the inner west. I am very pleased to speak this morning in support of the motion moved by the member for Balmain. We must secure the future of Callan Park for the people of the inner west and, indeed, for the people of Sydney. That is best done through a properly constituted and resourced trust, as outlined in the Callan Park Master Plan. It has been almost four years since the Callan Park Master Plan was delivered to the then Minister for Planning, the member for Wakehurst, in 2011. Not only has the Government not established a Callan Park trust or implemented the award-winning master plan, it has not even offered a response.

The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority has looked at the master plan and made recommendations to the Government about it, but successive planning Ministers have been silent about their intentions. Perhaps the new Minister, the member for Pittwater, will take a different approach. I hope this motion today encourages him in that direction. At the moment, the Government's do-nothing approach to Callan Park is an example of how it has neglected the electorate of Balmain since 2011. The people of Balmain are being taken for granted in this Parliament. Unfortunately, we have seen that again and again.

Under the leadership of a Labor mayor and councillors, Leichhardt Municipal Council has taken action. It has built new sporting fields and facilities at Callan Park, which have been to the benefit of the local community. We have seen quality open space and community facilities provided in that area. Unfortunately, under this Government it has been the burden of local government to do that. Open space is very precious in the inner west. Sporting clubs are in desperate need of more fields and facilities to cater for the ever-expanding number of community members participating in organised sport. We want our kids to be active and involved in their community, but they cannot do that without the space to play. The Callan Park Master Plan was produced by Leichhardt Municipal Council with widespread community input. It contains very sensible proposals that could see new non-government organisations making a home in Callan Park. It could see heritage buildings repaired and sport and recreation facilities built to benefit the whole region.

As I have said, we are in desperate need of those spaces. The Government's do-nothing approach to rehabilitating the site not only misses these opportunities but also threatens the continuation of current tenancies. Only last month the University of Sydney refused to rule out the withdrawal of the College of the Arts, which operates in a cluster of beautiful historic sandstone buildings inside the park. Instead of a future that should be about a vibrant sporting and arts community hub in Callan Park, unfortunately we have the prospect of it going backwards. That is devastating for the people of the inner west, and indeed for the people of Sydney. Without action from the New South Wales Government the park will continue to suffer demolition by neglect and the inner west will suffer as a result. I commend the motion to the House.