Two angry business owners have interrupted a press conference over the refusal to compensate businesses affected by the George Street closure in Sydney’s CBD.
Ms Berejiklian and Transport Minister Andrew Constance were announcing the opening of a thoroughfare on George Street on Sunday when local business owners Mark and Jennifer Duff confronted the pair.
As Mr Constance was hailing the fact there had not been ‘mass closures’ Mr Duff loudly remarked his business had seen a steep downturn.
Ms Berejiklian and Transport Minister Andrew Constance were announcing the opening of a thoroughfare on George Street on Sunday
Local business owners Mark (pictured) and Jennifer Duff confronted the pair
Shop owners hijacked a media conference with the Premier and Transport Minister (pictured)
‘Well guess what? Your business is about to pick up massively,’ Mr Constance said.
‘Here it is, here comes the people.
‘I’m here to answer questions from journalists.’
He said several businesses had claimed rent assistance, but ruled out any compensation for those affected.
‘I’m not interested in this, I’ve made the point. If people want rent assistance it’s available,’ he said when asked if he understood the frustration of business owners.
Mr Duff said their jewellery stores in the Strand Arcade had been hit hard by the George Street closures while the light rail was being constructed.
Mr Duff said their jewellery stores in the Strand Arcade had been hit hard by the George Street closures while the light rail was being constructed
Two angry business owners have interrupted a press conference over the refusal to compensate businesses affected by the George Street closure in Sydney’s CBD
The pair said they had seen a drop off in about nine per cent in turnover in one of their stores, and 30 to 40 percent in another store.
‘They moved in, they shut down the street, they fenced it all off,’ Ms Duff said when asked about the street closures two years ago.
Mr Duff said they had been left in ‘no-man’s land’ with the changes.
‘We’ll survive because we do, we have to, we have leases, we just have to make it work,’ the pair said.
They said Mr Constance’s lack of empathy was poor and said he wasn’t interested in listening to them.