The former federal government’s allocation of $7 million towards Bacchus Marsh’s long-awaited indoor pool complex has been labelled a “cruel hoax”.
Responding to reports the money had been axed, federal Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss said that while Labor announced the Regional Development Australia funding as a “done deal”, it was “not selected to proceed to full application”.
Community pool consortium chairman David Stewart said members were still trying to canvas ministers to see if more consideration could be given to the decision.
“We haven’t had a lot of luck, but we’ve got to keep working,’’ Dr Stewart said. ‘‘We’re aware that even if the money doesn’t come through, we can’t just give up.’’
As reported by the Weekly, the Labor government announced in August that RDA funding for the complex had been included in the federal budget. But the Liberal government has indicated that only projects with existing contracts would be honoured.
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Mr Truss said it beggared belief that the project was spruiked before the election.
“It is a disappointment that so many people had their genuine hopes built up, only to be dashed,” he said.
“I know that most of the [promised] projects were worthy and some will have to be funded some way, and I’m looking at what may be available for the future.”
Mr Truss said the new government had launched a National Stronger Regions Fund aimed at building social and economic infrastructure.
Councils and community groups will be able to apply for grants of between $20,000 and $10 million to meet up to half the cost of projects. The fund will be launched in 2015.
Ballarat Labor MP Catherine King said the decision was incredibly disappointing.
“In essence, there’s no opportunity for Moorabool shire to apply for regional projects until 2015 under the current government,” she said.
“It hasn’t come out of thin air. It’s gone through local communities and council and been signed off, and now it’s just dismissed.”
Dr Stewart said the consortium was in talks with the NSW council of Wingecarribee, which built an $8.4 million aquatic centre in Moss Vale without federal funding.
“We have to assume there are other avenues for funding,” he said.
