Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this year I was contacted by a number of parents of local Nippers regarding Botany pool. Constructed in 1966, Botany pool has served our community well but is in dire need of an upgrade. The pool is only open for half of the year, during the warmer months. With a population influx into Botany because of a number of large developments, and particularly a lot of young families moving into the area, there is a great need for swimming lessons for kids, aqua-aerobics, fitness facilities, squad training and just general swimming facilities for the public in that area to be open all year round, not just for six months of the year. Particularly there is a need for a heated indoor pool in Botany.

When I met with these parents, they expressed that there was a need for me to help them to campaign to get Botany pool to open all year round, and that is exactly what I have done. In the wake of that meeting, I launched a petition campaign in the local community, and I was overwhelmed by the response of local residents. I met with local councillors; I lobbied internally within the federal parliamentary Labor Party; and Labor responded. In the lead-up to the last election, we went to Botany pool and announced that, if elected, a Labor government would devote $10 million in funding and would partner with City of Botany Bay council, who would also pledge $10 million, to deliver a $20 million upgrade to Botany pool, to open this important facility all year round and develop a 25-metre indoor heated pool.

Although the Labor Party was not elected at the recent federal election, I remain committed and determined to deliver this important infrastructure upgrade to our community. I am going to call on the Turnbull government to support this project through funding, to deliver $10 million from the Commonwealth to assist our community to upgrade this pool. In the meantime, unfortunately, Botany council has been sacked and merged with Rockdale City Council to form Bayside Council. An administrator has been appointed. So there is a bit of doubt over the council's commitment to this partnership. I have met with the new administrator, Greg Wright, and put to him that this is a very important infrastructure project for our local community and I want Botany council to meet the commitment that was made in the lead-up to the election and to pledge $10 million for this important infrastructure upgrade. I will continue to meet with the council. I am meeting with the new interim general manager in a few weeks about this issue. I will continue to push the Turnbull government to deliver this very important infrastructure upgrade for our community. Botany needs a heated indoor pool that is open all year round.