State Government rejects sports investment ‘cost shifting’ claims

CUTS DEFENDED: Sports Minister Corey Wingard has denied changes to sport facility funding, which will now require councils and clubs to fund 50pc of project costs, seeks to cost shift from state to local government. The minister met with key stakeholders to discuss an ambitious upgrade for the Kalangadoo War Memorial and Sports Park after cutting a funding program that may have provided $313,000 to the project cost.

CUTS DEFENDED: Sports Minister Corey Wingard has denied changes to sport facility funding, which will now require councils and clubs to fund 50pc of project costs, seeks to cost shift from state to local government. The minister met with key stakeholders to discuss an ambitious upgrade for the Kalangadoo War Memorial and Sports Park after cutting a funding program that may have provided $313,000 to the project cost.
SPORT and Recreation Minister Corey Wingard has rejected claims the State Government’s new sporting facilities fund seeks to “cost shift” to local councils.

Mr Wingard met with key stakeholders at the Kalangadoo War Memorial and Sports Park earlier this week to discuss an ambitious upgrade to facilities a month after cutting sports facility funding.

The Kalangadoo club had applied for $313,000 under the previous State Government’s program – or 75pc of the total project cost – to fund a new changeroom area.

Ahead of September’s State Budget, the government announced it was scrapping the Female Facilities Program – which funds new or upgraded female sports changerooms and other facilities – and replacing it with another program.

The Liberal State Government’s program will require clubs and councils to provide at least 50pc of the project costs, compared to 25pc under the former program.

Mr Wingard rejected the new program would exert additional pressures on councils due to the increased financial contribution required.

“Most of these projects are actually on council land and they are council facilities,” he said.

“It is a 50/50 project so councils and communities will buy in and that way we know we are delivering the projects they want.

“If councils are keen on the projects, they will invest in them.

“We want to buy into projects that councils are keen to invest in, clubs are keen to invest in and the sports we know will be beneficial for growing participation and growing community engagement in that area.”

Mr Wingard did not address whether councils had been consulted before the change in funding make up, instead saying additional funds had been secured from the AFL, Cricket Australia and SACA.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Clare Scriven said it was disappointing Mr Wingard had not announced the reinstatement of the former Labor administration’s program during his recent visit.

“The community campaign to support this club forced the Minister to come and see the poor facilities this week, but he is still not offering any solution,” she said.

“He talks about alternative funding, but that alternative involves cost-shifting to the local council.

“Wattle Range Council has already committed $65,000 to the project and the local community has raised $40,000, but the government is now saying they must raise more than another $100,000.
“It is just not viable for the community club and local council to do that.”