The time and date for a public meeting in the Naracoorte Town Hall regarding a $35m sporting complex, or two new basketball courts for $8 million, will be soon to be announced.

Last November an anonymous consultation survey was launched for four weeks, closing on December 12.

But at council’s December 19 meeting, Cr Peter Ireland won support for a public consultation meeting in the Town Hall, following a 4-3 vote.

After consulting with many people at random in the Kincraig Plaza, Cr Ireland learned a major section of the community had no information about the proposed multi-million spend.

Cr Ireland’s motion for public consultation in the Town Hall, seconded by Cr Trevor Rayner, was to be at a time and date decided by mayor Patrick Ross and elected members.

Crs Ireland, Rayner, Cameron Grundy and Crash Downward voted in favour of the public meeting,

Voting against it were Crs Tom Dennis, Monique Crossling and Damien Ross.

Absent were Crs Craig McGuire, Darren Turner and Abigail Goodman.

Prior to the vote, Cr Ireland said his motion was not about whether to proceed with any of the sports centre proposals.

“I am sure elected members would agree that with the town of Naracoorte growing, our facilities must grow with it,” Cr Ireland said.

“The funding of sporting facilities is another matter, and we also have other communities with facilities that also need refurbishment, upgrading and improving.”

Some of those communities with sporting facilities included Kybybolite, Frances, Hynam, Avenue and Lucindale.

“We should thank the combined Lucindale Sporting Clubs for their letter as they are just some of these,” Cr Ireland said.

The leaders of 12 Lucindale sporting clubs had signed the letter.

They represented over 1000 players, members, and volunteers – with some people involved in more than one club.

According to their letter, they did not support the centralisation of sporting facilities in Naracoorte at the expense of those in other parts of the council area.

Cr Ireland referred to council’s consultation via Facebook, council’s website and school newsletters, suggesting the younger generation had been consulted.

“But what about the elderly and the country ratepayers?” he asked.

“On Saturday December 9, I spent an hour and a half talking to the public in the Kincraig Plaza and it was brought to my attention that a high proportion of ratepayers and other members of the public that I had approached or (was) approached by, in general were not aware of the consultation plan, and definitely had not submitted a survey form,” Cr Ireland said.

“In my election promises 12 months ago I was a strong advocate for listening to the public and acting upon it, not just to comply with government.

“Whilst whether to pursue further with a sports centre by council will be the decision of elected members, I certainly believe we should make sure there is full transparency in the situation.”

Cr Ireland said council’s previous consultation regarding a $35m spend included the removal of the existing football, netball and tennis clubrooms.

“But nothing was mentioned of the removal of the existing basketball and squash stadium,” he said.

Cr Ireland was concerned there was a multi-million-dollar monetary commitment needed by ratepayers, yet no criteria for who could return an anonymous survey form.

“(It) didn’t matter where you lived in Australia, or if you were 5 years of age, or you wished to return a survey form multiple times as it was anonymous,” Cr Ireland said.

“If you were faced with the largest investment by our council ever, do we need to ask ourselves, is this a fair and reasonable representation of ratepayers and the community?

“A forum in the Town Hall will no doubt have mixed results but will achieve this I believe.”

Seconding the motion Cr Rayner said he supported Cr Ireland.

Mayor Patrick Ross called for further discussion, but no other councillors commented.

Staff members present who also sit on the Naracoorte and Districts Sports Centre Committee did not offer any further information, or comment.

Following the 4-3 vote, Mayor Ross declared the motion as successful, with the time and date of a Town Hall meeting to be decided by himself and elected members.

After the meeting, Cr Ireland said the highest ratepayers would be contributing $220,000 each over 30 years for a $35 million spend.

He said a pensioner with an annual $2200 NLC rate bill would be forced to pay a further $5000 in rates over 30 years.

Cr Ireland said those extra rate burdens did not include inflation.

“Can elected members ask themselves: `Given that we are looking at the biggest investment by our council ever, have we consulted with all of the sectors of the community appropriately?’,” he said.

A masterplan for a new complex was developed in 2016, and a management committee representing several sports and chaired by Neville Vickery has liaised with the council ever since.

A $20million proposal was announced in 2020. But since then, discussions have mostly remained “in confidence”.

Early last year a sports centre briefing for the newly elected council was held “in confidence”.

Subsequent meetings were also held “in confidence” before a four week public consultation meeting was announced last November.

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.