Pokies fund Lambert Park upgrade
Image: Barry O'Farrell announces the $2.2 million grant in March 2011
The $3.5 million redevelopment of Lambert Park in Leichhardt was largely funded by poker machine revenue intended for disadvantaged communities, it has been revealed.
A 0.4 per cent tax on pokies revenue above $1 million, established in 2011 under the “ClubGRANTS program”, raised more than $14 million. The state government promised the money would fund sport and health facilities in poorer areas.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Monday that the revenue had instead gone toward the O’Farrell government’s election commitments – among them, a $2.2 million grant to upgrade Lambert Park.
The new football ground was opened in March, attended by the then premier Barry O’Farrell and member for Balmain, Jamie Parker. The plans were approved by Leichhardt Council early in 2013.
Far from being a “disadvantaged community”, average annual wage and salary income in the Leichhardt LGA was $82,800 in 2010/11, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For the neighbouring districts of Ashfield, Burwood and Strathfield, the average was $52,000. In outer areas of Sydney lacking key infrastructure and amenities, average income was even lower, at $47,800 in Campelltown and $45,694 in Merrylands and Guildford.
APIA Leichhardt president and football manager Anthony Raciti defended the government funding received by his club, arguing it was overdue and deserved.
“Leichhardt may not be a disadvantaged area but the club’s been there since 1954,” he said. In that time, it has received no “serious” funding from local, state or federal governments, he told the Inner West Independent.
Mr Raciti is a member of the Liberal Party and is married to Ashfield Liberal councillor Vittoria Raciti. He said he had never donated money to the party beyond his membership fees and had only met Mr O’Farrell on two occasions, including at the opening of the new Lambert Park.
“Our job as a club is to lobby for funding for that facility,” Mr Raciti said.
“And we will continue lobbying for further funding in the future if possible.”
The upgrade included a new synthetic playing surface, lighting and fixed seating, as well as a new fence and amenities including change rooms and storage. The complex lacks a grandstand, which Mr Raciti said he would like to see built over the long-term.
Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne welcomed the facility’s upgrade but said it was concerning that the state government has used the poker machine revenue for their election commitments and pork barreling.
“I just assumed that when they announced it as an election promise, that they would find a way to fund it without taking away from local community organisations,” Cr Byrne said.
“The announcement was made immediately before the 2011 election, but there was no mention of the fact that they were going to be robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Cr Byrne said the state Liberal government is “in bed with the clubs industry”.
The relevant minister, George Souris, was demoted from cabinet in a reshuffle on Tuesday. But a spokesperson previously told the Herald the government had always intended to fund “certain commitments” from the pokies tax and that “funding is not allocated based on the local government area from which it was derived”.
