when pigs might fly - Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association

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when pigs might fly …

While the unabashed acknowledgement by NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, that her government willingly engaged in pork-barrelling prior to last year’s state elections might have come as a shock to some, how else to describe the dishonest manipulation of $140M from the Stronger Communities Fund managed by the Office of Local Government?

The government has acknowledged that the grants were awarded to local councils in government-held electorates, with only members of the government involved in the decision-making processes, with the grants strict processes themselves being blatantly ignored.

While, thus far, no accusations of impropriety have been made in respect of grants made for projects in the Bega Valley, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that multi-million dollar projects such as the $50M Eden Port Development & Merimbula Airport Expansion Projects were pursued without economic justification, driven by a reckless “build-it & they’ll come” attitude & in the absence of community consultation.

Putting aside the obvious impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on tourism, the association has seen no credible reports that either of the above projects have produced positive economic outcomes for the local communities affected.

Indeed, while the Port Authority boasts about the benefits of the construction of its Welcome Centre at Eden Wharf, its sister government agency, the Crown Lands Department, busied itself destroying a the world-renowned education facility, the Marine Discovery Centre, located next door.

And while the Merimbula Airport Project was originally estimated to cost $7.8M, with $1.2M to be provided by ratepayers, council has recently confirmed that the cost of the project had now blown-out to at least $14M, with ratepayers expected to chip-in at least $3.2M of that sum.

This, while many more worthy essential services projects remain unfunded, while council lurches from financial crisis to financial crisis.

Meanwhile, in our neighbouring Eurobodalla shire, the stain of coalition pork-barrelling has resulted in the community of Batemans Bay losing its 50-metre swimming pool, which is being downgraded to a 25-metre indoor pool, while local assets are being sold off & ratepayers will be required to pay through the nose for years to come for a second-rate facility.

Eurobodalla ratepayers now face a $19 million deficit to cover the cost of building the aquatic centre. The council is cutting services, selling off reserves & has just evicted dozens of community groups from the Batemans Bay Community Centre so it can lease out the facility to obtain rental income.

The Community Centre has reportedly been earmarked as a site for a retail/residential development, even though Batemans Bay is awash with unused retail space.

All of this community damage just to fund the construction of the centre, which is then projected to run at a loss for at least the first 10 years, creating an ongoing burden for Eurobodalla ratepayers.

As we enter 2021 it seems certain that the stench of political corruption in all three levels of government will continue to grow stronger, with that cost ultimately being borne by all of us.

John Richardson

Secretary/Treasurer

Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association

Tel: 0264945669

Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au

Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au