LEICHHARDT MP Warren Entsch has welcomed a pledge by Cairns Mayor Val Schier to commit $10 million towards refurbishment of the Tobruk Memorial Pool if she is re-elected this month.
But he has cautioned that the move “smells like an election ploy” given that only two months ago, Cr Schier labelled a package of initiatives to drive sporting infrastructure in the Far North – including the pool upgrade – as “hodgepodge”.
Mr Entsch said today (TUESDAY) that he was intrigued to hear of Cr Schier’s plans for an overhaul of the complex, bringing it up to competition standard as set by international swimming body FINA.
According to Cr Schier, the new Cairns International Aquatic Centre would feature a 50m Olympic pool, warm up pool, changing facilities and a strength and conditioning centre built to Australian Institute of Sport standards, helping to attract national and international swim meets.
However Mr Entsch said the Mayor’s plans bore a striking similarity to those proposed by the Cairns Business and Sporting Group in their Regional Masterplan, launched in October.
Key goals of the masterplan include developing Cairns as a Tropical Campus of the Australian Institute of Sport and redeveloping Tobruk pool to the level of an International Aquatic Centre.
But when the group presented their report to council, the proposals were rubbished with Cr Schier describing the figures as “rubbery” and elements of the plan as “not at all strategic in their thinking”, while councillors Kirsten Lesina and Di Forsyth labelled it “a waste of council’s time”.
“In spite of all our efforts to get council engaged in this vision for the future, they wanted nothing to do with it aside from coming out and criticising it,” Mr Entsch said.
“I do welcome Cr Schier coming on board in support in line with the other mayoral candidates including Bob Manning because this project needs to happen.
“But it’s a bit rich for Cr Schier to now turn around and take credit for the idea.
“If any credit is to be given for this it should go to Margaret Cochrane because she was a key member of the planning committee which put this all together 18 months ago.”
Mr Entsch said that while Cr Schier had also highlighted the International Tennis Centre and “international standard hockey facilities”, it was clear she did not realise that the facilities were still lacking essential infrastructure.
“The tennis centre needs a cover over the four centre courts and the hockey centre must get a new stadium to go with the international-standard artificial turf if we really want to ensure future growth in sports tourism and secure Cairns as a tropical campus for the AIS,” Mr Entsch said.
The full version of the Cairns Business and Sporting Group Regional Masterplan is available below;