Different strokes: Labor won't match Coalition's pool promise

THERE will be a clear choice at the November 2022 Victorian State Election for those who say funding the Phillip Island Aquatic Centre is a make-or-break issue.

The Coalition’s National and Liberal Party candidates, Brett Tessari and Aaron Brown, had the backing of their parties when they promised $42 million for the project, as an opening gambit, back in July 2022.

But, at the ‘turning of the first sod’ for the $6.4 million Phillip Island Community Hospital during the week, Labor’s Jordan Crugnale said her party would not be able to match the promise.

“Look there’s no disputing the fact that both Phillip Island and Wonthaggi need new aquatic centres but it’s a lot of money, something like $100 million,” Ms Crugnale said.

“It needs a commitment by three levels of government; Federal, State and Local government and we’re not at that stage yet.”

Ms Crugnale said Labor had put a $290 million promise on the table for the next stage of the Wonthaggi hospital and funding for the two aquatic centres was simply out of reach at the moment.

Secretary of the Phillip Aquatic Centre Inc Peter McMahon said the group had been asking Ms Crugnale for weeks to commit to funding but he wasn’t prepared to take no for an answer.

“Well, at least we’ve had a response but you never say never,” Mr McMahon said.

“We’ll keep pushing right up to election day, asking for a commitment from Labor, because you don’t know what the political situation will be by then.

“They might find themselves really desperate to win this seat by then.”

Mr McMahon said there was no doubt Phillip Island needed an aquatic and sports centre.

“According to the 2021 Census, while Bass Coast has a population of 40,789, there are 12,910 dwellings in Phillip Island and San Remo As compared to 10,127 in Wonthaggi, Wonthaggi North, Cape Paterson, Inverloch, and Dalyston combined.

“Phillip Island San Remo is the biggest area. They’re all ratepayers and they deserve decent facilities,” he said.

Mr McMahon urged the Labor Member for Bass to work right up to the election to try to get a commitment from Labor on the Phillip Island Aquatic centre.

“It isn’t over until it’s over,” Mr McMahon said.

Bass Coast Council pitch

The Bass Coast Shire Council’s advocacy pitch calls for a funding contribution of $39.65M from both the state and federal governments but just $15.5M of the shire’s own money.

It compares unfavourably with the way the Cowes Community and Cultural Centre is funded: $27.2 million total: $2.5m Growing Suburbs (State), $800,000 Living Libraries (State), $10m Community Infrastructure Loans Scheme (State) and $5 m Building Better Regions Program (Federal).  In other words, the Bass Coast Shire Council (ratepayers) are paying $18.9 million of the $27.2 million cost (to date).

The total construction cost of the two aquatic centres, at Wonthaggi and Cowes, is estimated at $94.6 million.