The Weekly Advertiser – Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Page 1

Vol. No. Vol. 2418No. 4327

FREE PUBLICATION

A FREE PUBLICATION FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS 3WM AND MIXXFM

Wednesday, January 13, 2022 2016 Wednesday, May 11,

COUNTING DOWN: Horsham Arts Council will launch its Broadway Showcase stage show next week, its first live production since 2019. Cast members, including Harriet Overman, left, and Chloe Findlay, are busy with final preparations before the show kicks off on Wednesday next week. Story, page 13. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Political football BY MICHAEL SCALZO

N

hill and district communities are hoping a new promise for a long-awaited sporting facility becomes a reality.

Nhill and District Sporting Club president Dom Colombera said he welcomed the promise of an additional $1.64-million from a re-elected Coalition government for Davis Park upgrades and applauded the funding commitment. But he said at the same time, he lamented it had taken an election to prompt government action. Mr Colombera said he could not understand why a small club kept

being ‘tied up in national politics’. “It is a bit of joke, and it makes you think the way funding is dished out needs to change. Half the time, here is the funding... ‘but’,” he said. “With the ‘sports rorts’ thing, it was too good to be true. There must be ways for a small club to progress, but at the moment we can only play the game we’re in.” Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the $1.64-million government election promise would aid a $900,000 local roads and community infrastructure fund and a $300,000 Hindmarsh Shire Council contribution to construct stage one of a multipurpose facility at Davis Park.

Dr Webster said some people called it ‘pork-barrelling’, but she rathered ‘fighting for community’. “I find pork-barrelling a somewhat fraught concept. People get elected to government to fight for communities and for community interests. They want someone who is a megaphone for Mallee,” she said. Mr Colombera said the club was disappointed when it missed out on government funding before the 2019 Federal Election, after a Davis Park upgrade scored well in Sport Australia’s Community Sport Infrastructure Program, the so-called ‘sports rorts’ grants affair. But he said this month’s election

had perhaps come at the right time for the club. “We have been working on getting this funding for the past couple of years, so perhaps the election has come around at the right time for us,” he said. “Obviously the money is tied to the government winning, so we don’t know what is going to happen. I guess we will have our answer on May 21.” Dr Webster said communities wanted someone who had a voice and an influence in federal parliament. “Every party commits money because they were elected to do so – if people think differently, it is nonsensical,” she said.

Dr Webster said she expected there would be an appropriate sports grant or similar process prior to the May 21 election, but her government provided no avenue for sports facility funding. “I asked the question prior to the election about opening a sports grant. But it is nothing I have a handle on, there was no lever I could pull,” she said. “It is a ministers call and has to go to cabinet – it is a high pay grade decision.” The first stage of the Davis Park upgrades includes an undercover grandstand, multi-purpose change rooms and function room. Continued page 3

IN THIS ISSUEISSUE • Crisis•accommodation planstance • Quantong residents • Football-netball IN THIS Council overturns • Reprieve forstand rail •strong Football-netball actionaction Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au

AUDITED: 22,403 22,507 COPIES

April 2020 October 2020 to September to September 2020 2021

Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au

THIS WEEK’S SPECIALS Chicken Stroganoff

TRADING HOURS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE Monday to Thursday - 9am to 5.30pm Friday - 9am to 6pm Saturday - 9am to noon

Ph 5381 1365 •

Pepper Steak Casserole

Roasting Pork Belly

1499 $1899 $1899

$

kg

kg

kg

KMART BEST AND LESS SPOTLIGHT REJECT SHOP WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALTY STORES WWW.HORSHAMPLAZA.COM.AU


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.