NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham has launched a stinging attack on the Campbelltown billabong parklands project he labels: How to waste $42 million in Campbelltown.
He says most people in Campbelltown would put such a project at the bottom of their priority list.
Campbelltown in South West Sydney has many pressing needs,’’ says the former federal member for Werriwa.
“They include fixing Appin Road, Queen Street, local sporting facilities and the schools that have been going backwards in their student results.
“So what’s the top priority of government? Spending $42 million on the construction of a billabong (I kid you not) on the corner of The Parkway and the Appin Road in Bradbury.
“It’s right next to Bradbury pool, so there’s no need for a new watering/swimming hole built at massive taxpayers’ expense,’’ says Mr Latham, who lived in Glen Alpine for a few years when he was a federal member of parliament.
“This is the latest in the ridiculous Indigenous push in Australian politics.
“Anything remotely Aboriginal, like a billabong, gets funding – in this case, $16 million from the Federal Government, $4 million State and $22 million from Campbelltown Council.
“The billabong will then cost ratepayers $4 million each year to run – quite possibly the greatest waste of money in the history of municipal government.
“The pictures attached show the work under way,’’ says Mr Latham.
“It’s just a useless hole in the ground, where work should be halted immediately, and the money redirected to projects that the people of Campbelltown actually need.’’
Mr Latham is the leader of One Nation in NSW. As well as seeking re-election to the upper house himself, he is running candidates in around 20 lower house seats, including most of South Western Sydney.
Whilst not big on politics Mark is absolutely spot on. Biggest waste of money- how could such a project have ever been passed. Campbelltown council first and foremost should be ashamed in continuing support when they had the opportunity to rethink the project and redesign to a smaller scale. The roads in the municipality are atrocious for one so there’s where monies would have been better spent!
It’s a bloody disgrace that councils are raising our rates above the IPART rate peg and yet build white elephants such as the billabong. Where is our ‘voice’ in what council spends money on. Ridiculous. Why do we ratepayers always have to tighten our money spending when council and state and federal governments can do whatever they please when it comes to wasting money.