Labor dives in with $5m pledge

By Sarah Schwager
THE Federal Labor Opposition has announced it will commit $5 million to the new Cranbourne Aquatic and Leisure Centre if it is elected.
Federal Opposition Infrastructure and Water spokesman Anthony Albanese made the announcement at the site of the $38 million project last Thursday along with Holt MP Anthony Byrne.
The announcement was welcomed by Casey deputy mayor Kevin Bradford, who urged the Liberal Government to make a similar commitment.
“We are now waiting on the Liberal candidate (for Holt) to obtain a commitment from his party,” Cr Bradford said.
“I know Mr Cicchiello supports the pool and council’s current application, but that is only for $1.5 million.”
He said as a representative of council he had been lobbying both the opposition and the government for $5 million not $1.5 million.
“That’s why we took the application to Canberra earlier this year,” Cr Bradford said.
Liberal candidate for Holt Emanuele Cicchiello said he had been lobbying for the pool for a long time.
He said the current application (for $1.5 million) was being processed through the Government’s Regional Partnerships program and an announcement on this was imminent.
Cranbourne’s state-of-the-art water smart aquatic centre will house a 50-metre swimming pool, two water slides, a lap pool, hydrotherapy pool, spa, sauna and fully equipped gymnasium.
Mr Byrne said the Cranbourne Aquatic and Leisure Centre would set a benchmark for water use in pools in Australia.
“I am proud Federal Labor is supporting this innovative urban water project in Cranbourne,” he said.
“It will be a drought-proof leisure facility for south eastern suburbs residents for years to come,” he said.