$2.5m funding for stadium in doubt
Melissa Grant | 5th July 2010
THE delivery of $2.5m in funding for the Mackay stadium will be delayed if the PM calls an election within the next fortnight.
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the extra $2.5 million in funding, needed for NRL-standard stadium lighting and other upgrades, three weeks ago, after launching the project in April.
Peter Holt
THE delivery of $2.5 million in funding for NRL-standard lighting and seating for the Mackay stadium will be delayed if Prime Minister Julia Gillard calls an election within the next fortnight.
Whispers that Ms Gillard will announce a date for the election any day now has stadium committee acting chairman Brett Leach feeling a tad nervous.
The additional $2.5 million funding for the stadium, announced by former PM Kevin Rudd three weeks ago, is yet to be signed off – and the Federal Government won’t hand over any money if it enters caretaker mode.
“We are still in the process of signing off on it with the government,” Mr Leach said. “We only need two to three weeks, the department told us.
“My concern is that an election is called and we go into caretaker mode. Once the election is called no money can be handed out.”
The extra $2.5 million would fund NRL-standard stadium lighting, seating on three sides of the stadium, a sealed carpark, upgraded hospitality facilities and a community refuge room, Mr Rudd said when he made the announcement.
Mr Leach said all he and the rest of the stadium committee could do was hope that Ms Gillard didn’t call an election before the paperwork was signed off.
“When she is going to call an election is anyone’s guess,” he said.
Mr Leach said the committee had been working as fast as possible to complete the paperwork, which would be posted off today.
“Hopefully she (Ms Gillard) hangs off,” he said.
Mr Leach said he was confident the funding would be delivered, albeit later, if an election was called and there was a change of government.
He said Opposition Leader Tony Abbott indicated strong support for the project when he visited Mackay three weeks ago.
“He said he would definitely look at it and recognised it as worthwhile. George Christensen (LNP candidate for Dawson) also told me he would take it up.”
A spokesperson for Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese said: The Department of Infrastructure is working with Stadium Mackay to finalise arrangements for the additional $2.5 million committed by the Government last month as soon as possible.”
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2010/07/05/extra-25m-funding-for-stadium-in-doubt-if-pm-calls/