Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Josh Black has slammed the NSW Government and the Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty, for ripping away the $48.6 million for the long-awaited new PCYC/Regional Sports Hub.
In a statement released by Minister Moriarty this morning, the Minister outlines cost blow outs multiple delays and scope revisions as reasons why the funding had been withdrawn.
Clr Black said the announcement was a disastrous outcome for the community, saying that Minister Moriarty has acted like the Christmas Grinch when it comes to the needs of Western NSW.
"The Minister's own department, Public Works, as project managers are responsible for the $22 million cost blow-out. It's outrageous to now blame cost blowouts for clawing back the money. She has ignored the needs of Western NSW and hasn't even bothered to come to town to meet with stakeholders before making such a significant decision."
“The PCYC identified an alternative solution in September 2024, to build the project within budget, deliver a larger facility, and in a shorter timeframe, but Minister Moriarty ignored that, even though the variation was apparently supported by the NSW Office of Sport.
Clr Black said the communities in Western NSW already felt like second-class citizens when it came to indoor sporting facilities, compared to their city cousins and in pulling this funding the Minister has reaffirmed that.
“I have no confidence in Minister Moriarty representing our community. Dubbo is the Hub of the West with western towns feeding their sporting talent into Dubbo. We have heard from representatives from all walks of life as to how this facility would benefit the wider community, but the Minister clearly has no respect for any of them, nor understanding of the realities of life in this part of NSW.
“If the Minister had actually engaged with the community, as Council did, she would see and understand why this facility is needed here in Dubbo, but she hasn’t. She is clearly the anti-Minister for Western NSW because she seemingly doesn’t care about the people who live in our community and the wider region."
Clr Black said all the Ministers with funding in this project need to now be upfront and truthful with the community as to where the money is actually going and provide an explanation as to why the PCYC solution wasn’t considered as a variation.
“In the statement this morning Minister Moriarty mentioned the “NSW Government’s contribution to this project would be better used for alternative, deliverable projects”, considering the PCYC have submitted a deliverable project within the budget to them and she just needed to approve the variation, we ask the Minister to tell the community where the money will go. If she won't, then the Premier, Chris Minns must step in and tell us."
“Council will be lodging a formal request so our community can see and review the advice from the Department to the Minister that said the PCYC’s option wasn’t just simple variation. There's no option except for a full, public, Parliamentary Inquiry into this project and this decision,” Clr Black said.
“We also call on the Premier to reserve $48.6 million of funding for this project, so we can see it go ahead for the betterment of our community. We know the Premier understands the power of the PCYC in working with the community and the power of assisting and creating programs for disadvantaged youth.
“This facility would do all of that and more, so we implore for the Premier to find the funding the PCYC now needs to see this facility delivered, to create the change needed in our Region,” Clr Black said.