Wollondilly Shire says it has been short changed by the Westinvest program and wants an independent public inquiry and review into the $1.6 billion funding.
The criticism is the first in the first public domain since the State Government started handing out some of the $5 billion in the kitty.
Privately there are mayors and councillors in South Western Sydney shaking heads and rolling their eyes at some of the funding announcements, including almost $80 million to upgrade a local arts centre.
Now Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould has broken ranks and blasted Westinvest and the state government.
“There is absolutely no question that we have been short-changed,’’ he says.
“I am particularly unhappy to see that only one project put forward by a community organisation other than Council received funding in our Shire, despite the fact that there were some very deserving projects put forward by our community.
“The people of Wollondilly have been badly let down by the State Government, and I hope that this isn’t another example of them playing favourites at our expense.
“Hawkesbury, which is the Council in the program we are most similar to, received $121 million worth of projects – yet we will receive less than 10 percent of that even though some of the projects we applied for were very similar to those funded in other LGAs.
“The Westinvest program was intended to help play catch-up with badly needed infrastructure investment in councils in and around the fringes of Western Sydney, yet clearly this has not been the outcome for Wollondilly.
“I will be putting forward a Mayoral Minute at the next Council meeting seeking a Freedom of Information request on how these projects were assessed and why Wollondilly has received less than 1 percent of the available funding.
“I will also be calling for an urgent independent public inquiry and review into the $1.6 billion funding, with no funding deeds signed until it is complete.’’
With over $2.5 billion in Westinvest funding still to be allocated, Mayor Matt Gould has called for the Picton Bypass to be funded to demonstrate that the NSW Government values the Wollondilly community.
“The Picton Bypass was the most popular project when the government asked for community feedback on where Westinvest should be spent, so as the clear people’s favourite I call on the Premier to make sure the community’s voice is heard,” said the Mayor.
“We know the funding is available, now’s the time to make it happen.”
Mayor Gould is pictured above on Australia Day with Liberal MP for Wollondilly Nat Smith.
