The Illawarra Liberal MP charged with delivering a multimillion-dollar investment boost to Port Kembla has lashed out at Labor Party members for “playing games” one day out from a major announcement.
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Gareth Ward, the region’s parliamentary secretary, will on Friday announce $330,000 for the Port Kembla Main Street Project, with the money to come from a state government fund set up to help enhance the suburb.
A main street project is included in a Wollongong City Council revitalisation plan, work on which began in 2007.
The government wouldn’t provide specific details about the successful Port Kembla Community Investment Fund (PKCIF) project when asked by the Mercury on Thursday.
Giving the suburb a new lease of life has long been a goal of council.
A report to its March 2011 meeting listed a number of proposals to reinvigorate the suburb’s CBD, including the establishment of legible entry points and the provision of continuous pedestrian awnings along Wentworth Street.
The document also listed the refurbishment and redevelopment of vacant or dilapidated sites would “provide an attractive environment and support investment confidence”.
The PKCIF, announced in March, will provide an initial allocation of $2 million in its first year, followed by $1 million a year until the 99-year port lease expires in June 2112.
Community organisations apply for funding of between $10,000 and $500,000.
On Thursday, Labor’s candidate for Wollongong Paul Scully and Labor Wollongong City Councillor Ann Martin stood atop Port Kembla’s Hill 60 calling on the government to announce the fund’s successful applicants.
At a 10.30am press conference, Mr Scully said the outcome of round one was supposed to have been known in July.
“We’re now almost at September. We hope that there is an announcement soon, but what we need to remind the Premier occasionally is that Wollongong’s here, Port Kembla’s here, [and] we want to get on with the job,” he said.
About 70 minutes later, Mr Ward issued a media alert for Friday’s announcement.
The Liberal MP said the announcement had always been planned for Friday.
“This is just Labor playing games,” he said.
“Ann Martin and Labor’s candidate look completely foolish; they’ve got egg on their face because not only are we announcing the projects but they would have voted against them.”
Initially, July was mentioned as the date for the successful project announcements. The government’s website listed August on Thursday morning.
Round two PKCIF guidelines will be released in October.