MP WADES INTO POOL DEBATE
CORANGAMITE MP Sarah Henderson has launched petitions for two pools in the region in a bid to convince local councils and her own Liberal Federal Government to make a cash splash.
Ms Henderson visited Torquay and Drysdale yesterday to make the announcement, calling for adequate facilities for the families, seniors and community groups.
Labor has promised $25.3 million in federal and state funding for a Torquay aquatic centre, but Ms Henderson said plans for it to include a 25m pool did not meet calls from lifesaving and swimming clubs for a 50m pool.
“Labor’s pool plan on the Surf Coast has belly-flopped. Labor has put forward a proposal which is not supported by the community and all of these user groups,” she said.
Ms Henderson said she had been “inundated” with feedback from constituents about both the inadequacy of the proposed Torquay centre and a lack of any plan for a pool on the northern Bellarine, but was unable to quantify how many had contacted her office.
She said she was working hard to secure federal funding and urged locals to sign the petition to support her proactiveness towards building momentum for projects “the community wants and deserves”.
Ms Henderson also at- tacked Labor opponent Libby Coker for backflipping on her stance against such a project as a Surf Coast councillor.
Ms Coker, the Corangamite Labor candidate, accused her counterpart of “wasting people’s time” with a petition after failing to attract funding in the past five federal budgets.
“Sarah is all talk and no action. She had to end her last pool campaign in embarrassment after she was unable to secure any funding from her government for the project,” she said.
Surf Coast Shire Council acting general manager culture and community, Damian Waight, said council would consider the project following the federal election.
“This consideration will likely include the potential size, features and cost of such a facility,” he said.
Ms Henderson said the State Government and Greater Geelong council had ignored calls for a north Bellarine pool, despite positive discussions with Bellarine ward councillors.
City of Greater Geelong acting director community life, Robyn Stevens, said the Northern ARC hub was the city’s priority aquatic project, but council would be open to a feasibility study into a north Bellarine facility.
“We would welcome funding from the Federal Government to undertake this work. We look forward to an opportunity to discuss this with Ms Henderson,” she said.