COMMUNITY leaders have made an impassioned, last-ditch plea for the Andrews Government to “even the score” with an extra $10 million for the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct in Tuesday’s State Budget.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper Friday called on the State Government to put its money where its mouth is after “talking about this being a big-spending era out of COVID”.
“The $10 million will complete the project,” Ms Cupper said.
“We’ve been running for months now a ‘game on’ campaign, which is about drawing attention to the fact the State Government hasn’t been close to matching the contributions by the local and federal governments for the stadium.
“The State Government can even this score by kicking in another $10 million.
“This would be the right thing to do for a State Government that has money.”
Stage 1 of the sporting precinct is on track for completion in mid-2021. However, the major obstacle to stage 2 is a $10 million funding shortfall.
The joint funding breakdown, as it stands, shows the Federal Government tipping in $17.5 million, Mildura Rural City Council $11.3 million, the State Government $3.75 million, Sunraysia Football Netball League, Mildura Netball Association and South Mildura Sporting Club $365,000 and Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria $275,000.
“We know that Mildura South is a landmark project that has been so long awaited by the bigger sports such as footy, cricket and basketball, as well as the lower-profile ones like squash and badminton,” Ms Cupper said.
“This game-changing facility is about providing opportunities for bringing major events here, as well as giving our kids and their families a chance to become more engaged in sport.”
The Mildura MP gave an insight into her lobbying frustrations to secure the extra money.
She brought the previous Minister for Community Sport, Martin Pakula, to Mildura just over a year ago to meet key stakeholders.
“Then there was a Cabinet reshuffle and we had to tell the same story again to the new minister, Ros Spence,” Ms Cupper said.
Asked if she felt her stadium funding pleas had hit the mark in Spring Street, she said: “What I think is purely speculative, but I hope it has.”
New Mildura Mayor Jason Modica said it would be a “great day” for the city if it won the $10 million stadium funding in Tuesday’s budget.
“It would be an absolute boon for Mildura,” Cr Modica said Friday.
“Having done all the hard work through Mildura Future Ready and getting to this stage, it would be a bonus to have this money in the budget to allow us to finish off the project.
Asked if he was disappointed the State Government had not yet matched the council’s level of funding, he said: “There are always opportunities to feel left out or neglected, but it’s the process you go through.
“When the funding grants come, they come. If they don’t, you keep chipping away.”
Among other projects she hopes will receive funding in the State Budget, Ms Cupper said there had already been $40 million secured for public housing in Mildura, which has 653 families on a waiting list for accommodation.
“This funding will be life-changing for so many local families,” Ms Cupper said.
On the health front, she said she would make a “big drive” for “major funding” for Mildura Base Public Hospital in next year’s budget.
“It’s only been back in public hands for two months and what’s most needed is still being worked out,” Ms Cupper said.
She is also hoping there will be funding for three battling schools in her electorate – Hopetoun P-12, Merbein P-10 and Mildura West Primary School.
“The Hopetoun facilities resemble those in a Third World country, and Mildura West staff are working in a building built for another era,” Ms Cupper said.
