E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Thriving Suburbs Program; Suburban infrastructure investment; Grants programs; Noarlunga Aquatic Centre; Local Government; Upgrades to community facilities.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: I'm really pleased to welcome Minister King to the Noarlunga Aquatic Centre. This is an iconic facility in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, having hundreds of thousands of people come through the door every year. Of course, this Centre was under threat because it is an aging centre and it needed some really significant repairs. There was a lot of concern in our local community that this centre could be not in a state that would really serve their needs. But I'm so pleased today to have Minister King announce as part of the Thriving Suburbs a commitment of $5.4 million to improve this facility, to get it fit for purpose, to make sure that this will be saved for the long term in terms of our local community. So this is great news. I'd like to sincerely thank Catherine King, but also the Onkaparinga Council, who will be a partner in this and will contribute 50 per cent of the funds. This is a win-win for the local community.
CATHERINE KING, MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Thanks very much, Amanda, it's terrific to be here at the Noarlunga Aquatic Centre. What a great facility it is that has been serving this community for over 30 years now. When the Albanese Labor Government came into office, one of the things we noticed, and we said we wanted to do, was bring integrity back into our grants program. But it was also really clear that whilst we had good regional grants programs, we hadn't really concentrated on our suburbs, particularly those suburbs that have housed people for a long period of time, and there's been a real community infrastructure deficit in our suburban regions. So we established a Thriving Suburbs Program. It's a grants program and we're announcing all of the South Australian grant recipients today. But it's a grants program that across the country we will see significant application and investment to improve those community facilities, community infrastructure, supporting facilities in the suburbs. We’re announcing today, over just on $34 million going into the suburbs right away across Adelaide. And one of those facilities is here at the Noarlunga Aquatic Centre, partnering with the Council here, the Onkaparinga Council, $5.4 million matched by Council to bring this up to over $10 million to develop the new roof, reline the swimming pool really create a better amenity for people in the hydrotherapy pool, as well as you can see how many learn to swim and school groups who use this facility. Community infrastructure is really important. It's important for the federal government to invest in it because we know it is critically important for social cohesion. It's where children learn, not only to swim, but also to work together, to play as part of the team. It's where people and parents get to talk to other parents about what's happening in their communities. It's really critical for social inclusion. We know local government is a really critical partner for the delivery of these projects, these projects right away across Adelaide that we're announcing today. And I'd like to ask the Council to say a few words about the facility here and what's important for their local government.
PHU NGUYEN, CEO OF THE CITY OF ONKAPARINGA: Thank you. I'd like to start off by thanking the federal government for this announcement. This facility, the Noarlunga Aquatic Centre, is the Council’s most heavily utilised facility. 270,000 people travel through the site every single year, and so the investment is well worth it. We're looking forward to partnering with the Federal Government. I'd like to thank Minister King and Minister Rishworth because we are truly partners in this project. This facility is so much beloved by the local community. It's going to mean that the facility is available for future generations, and we're looking forward to the project.
JOURNALIST: Before you go I’ll ask a couple of questions. Was this facility in jeopardy of, you know, collapse if the Federal Government did not step up with that extra… or match the 5.4 million?
PHU NGUYEN: Yeah, the investment is absolutely critical. This facility is over 30 years old. So if you look around, any facility that comes to that age there comes a time where you really do need to invest differently. So we welcome the investment allow us to continue to operate the facility and keep it open to the public.
JOURNALIST: Where will the money go? What areas will the money be utilised in?
PHU NGUYEN: The money will be utilised for a brand new roof, also the lining of the swimming pools we will look how we can separate the pools as well get greater functionality. We've also got some back office operational efficiencies to make the facility more useful. That includes filtration, some paintings make it look a little bit more refreshed. So it really is well overdue, but it's a different investment, and we thank the Government, Minister King and Minister Rishworth as well for this contribution.
JOURNALIST: And what is the impact you’ll have on the local community utilising this pool? You mentioned 270,000 people annually? What sort of impact do you think it will have on them?
PHU NGUYEN: I am absolutely confident that this has been very well embraced by the local community. There will be a period where we have to shut down to do the renewal works, however the other side of that means that 270,000 people can use that site annually. There's 80 learning to swim schools. There's 750 students who use these learn to swim programs. It is our most utilised facility in the City of Onkaparinga. And it's not just City of Onkaparinga residents, there’s more residents down the south.
JOURNALIST: How long will this facility be shut down for while those works go on?
PHU NGUYEN: Look, it could be up to four months. We will certainly work very closely with all the users to make that transition smooth. But again, this is well timed for the renewal and very much welcome and we thank the Government for that.
JOURNALIST: What’s the start date? Have you got something planned already when it's going to begin?
PHU NGUYEN: Yes, excitingly, we've been preparing for this, hoping that the Federal Government comes to the table. So all of our plans are designed pretty much ready to go. So we're expecting some time between the middle of next year to get this out of the ground as quickly as possible to bring that pool to will. But we were really waiting and hoping that the federal government comes partner with us and utilise that funding.
JOURNALIST: Any advice for users during that time when it's not open for them to utilise other resources in the area? Is there any advice for them?
PHU NGUYEN: We will be working with all the users to try to work on a transition plan for that interim period during the shutdown, to try to minimise the struggle as best we can. We certainly look forward to being able to open back up for the community and provide that wonderful facility into the future.
JOURNALIST: Last one, will it definitely be here this summer? Obviously we’re just stepping into the summer, is it going to be open for the busy summer months coming up ahead?
PHU NGUYEN: Certainly this summer period it will be open. So we’ll look at our plan and see how fast we can bring that forward and get the newer works done, but this summer definitely the facility will be open.