NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders says Labor’s decision to cancel the highly anticipated Dubbo sports hub and PCYC project is one of the greatest acts of treachery on his community and residents across western NSW.
Labor’s Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty, has pulled all government funding from the project, in a cruel blow to local basketball, gymnastics, and netball groups.
Mr Saunders said the move has left the initiative dead in the water after years of hard work.
“The Minns Labor Government has walked away from Dubbo as well as people in other parts of Western NSW who would have benefited from this facility,” Mr Saunders said.
“The former Nationals Government allocated a total of $48.6m to make this project a reality so this announcement by Minister Moriarty is a direct result of Labor’s political agenda and nothing else.
“She was the one that declined the PCYC’s application to change the location, and she’s the one that said the money would be ‘better used’ elsewhere.
“In the end, the location of the indoor facility isn’t the most important thing, but delivering it is, and Tara Moriarty has shown our communities exactly what she thinks of them by not following through.”
Mr Saunders directly contacted Premier Chris Minns on multiple occasions to gain his support, but he did nothing to save the project.
“I wrote to Chris Minns and also spoke to him directly about the vital need for this facility. He had the opportunity to make it happen but instead the Premier and his entire Labor government have let the people of Dubbo and western NSW down,” Mr Saunders said.
“There’s no denying there have been challenges with the sports hub, but the Coalition did everything it could to keep it alive. Now Labor has flicked the switch, and that is a kick in the guts for everyone who would have benefited from it.”
Mr Saunders also criticised Labor MLC Stephen Lawrence, a former mayor of Dubbo, for not backing the project.
“In a recent interview on 2DU, Stephen Lawrence said as a member of the government it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to be a public advocate for the project.
“He has chosen to represent the best interest of his Labor colleagues instead of the best interests of his community, and that is extremely disappointing.”
