Lalor Tennis Club’s plans for much-needed upgrade works hang in the balance with the Abbott government signalling it will reject some of the previous government’s plans to fund community infrastructure projects.
The Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) round 5 grants, designed to fund and improve community facilities, were announced in June this year
and funded in the 2013-14 federal budget.
According to shadow infrastructure and transport minister Anthony Albanese, the government will renege on these grants unless councils have already assigned contractors to begin work.
Whittlesea council had been given approval for $5.83 million of funding to be allocated to redevelop the Church Street shopping strip and Woodland Waters sports field and car park, and upgrade Lalor Tennis Club’s facilities.
The only project not under way yet is the tennis club refurbishment, which is still in the design phase. The council had requested $300,000 from the RDAF to go towards the $2.4 million project. Whittlesea’s executive manager (advocacy), Mary Agostino, said the council was still awaiting confirmation from the government about funding for its projects.
“We are concerned about these projects if they don’t go ahead. With this funding, council was anticipating earlier delivery of these projects to the community,” Ms Agostino said.
Scullin MP Andrew Giles said the funding contracts between Whittlesea council and the Department of Infrastructure and Planning had not been signed.
Mr Giles said the government had decided to cancel all projects unless contracts were already in place. “This decision is bad news for people in Lalor.’’.
Mr Giles said Nationals leader Warren Truss had confirmed his government would not deliver the funding.
A Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development spokesman said: ‘‘Arrangements for projects that did not have a contract in place prior to the election, including these ones [for Whittlesea], are currently being considered.”
Council’s leisure and community inclusion manager, Paul Reading, is hopeful the project will go ahead. Little has changed at the Lalor club since the asphalt for two courts was laid down by hand in 1957.
In some areas, court surfaces have deteriorated to such an extent they are no longer certified for formal tennis competitions or pennant matches.
The club’s planned upgrade works include improvements to the tennis courts and redevelopment of the community tennis pavilion.
The club’s treasurer Rose Walter said the funding was essential to the club’s survival.
“We’ve been onto the council for funding for five years to get the club to an acceptable condition,” she said.
“It would be so disappointing for all the kids who play here [if we do not get funding].”
