Libs commit to new Adelaide Aquatic Centre, pledge $55m less
The Liberals have responded to Labor’s election pledge for a new $80 million Adelaide Aquatic Centre but are only committing $25 million in State Government funds towards the project, arguing the facility should be jointly funded by all three levels of government.
Labor announced on February 12 that, if elected on March 19, it would put $80 million towards building a new Aquatic Centre to replace the ageing facility on Jeffcott Road in North Adelaide.
The Opposition also said its proposal would see the State Government operate the centre rather than the Adelaide City Council.
The Liberals responded this morning pledging just $25 million in State Government funds towards a new “$75 million – $85 million” facility.
The remaining money would come from the Adelaide City Council and Federal Government, the latter of which is yet to make a funding commitment for the project.
Council would also continue to operate the facility under the Liberals’ proposal, which Treasurer Rob Lucas claims will save taxpayers $2 million in operating costs each year.
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“There is no doubt that the Adelaide City Council and the Federal Government should be co-funding this community facility – it is not and should not be the sole responsibility of South Australian taxpayers,” he said in a statement.
“The State Government and the Council have now committed funding and the final decision rests with the Federal Government.”
Lucas said the State Government would be providing “precisely the amount of funding the Adelaide City Council requested” in a project submission last November.
Shadow Treasury spokesperson Stephen Mullighan labelled the Liberals’ proposal a “half-baked” idea.
“It beggars belief Steven Marshall has got no problem spending $662m on a basketball stadium no one wants but has a problem spending a fraction of this amount to rebuild a heavily-used, much-loved aquatic centre,” Mullighan said.
