WAGGA City Council has ramped up the pressure on local MPs to end “drip feed” funding of the levee bank upgrade.
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It comes amid a heated exchange at this week’s council meeting, where Greens’ councillor Kevin Poynter urged the city to “not to get too excited” over a recent funding announcement.
A sign council is bearing the brunt of ongoing community frustration – particularly from North Wagga residents – Wagga mayor Rod Kendall urged parliamentarians Michael McCormack and Daryl Maguire to step up.
Cr Kendall said council could not build the levee bank on its own and needed ongoing funding commitments from state and federal governments.
The state government last month announced a surprise $2 million for the project – just 10 per cent of the total project cost – after fears Wagga would miss out altogether.
“A levee bank is only as strong as its weakest point,” Cr Kendall said.
“While that money was welcome, it won’t finish the build; we need the local MPs to continue to step up.
“We need continued funding commitments, or a commitment they will be there for the rest of the build.”
Committee 4 Wagga chief executive Chris Fitzpatrick – one of the project’s fiercest lobbyists – said a timeframe needed to be outlined.
Lamenting that “we’re only just talking about starting four years after the 2012 flood”, Mr Fitzpatrick said large lapses between project stages could result in a deteriorated levee.
“The levee will not protect Wagga until it is complete,” he said.
“A flooded city of Wagga would have catastrophic outcomes for us with decades of recovery. Business would close, residents would leave, property would be devalued.
“Urgency is still required and the construction should remain the city’s top priority.”
Mr Fitzpatrick added that completion of the levee would unlock new confidence in the business sector, with new projects “ready to go” but stifled by high insurance premiums.
“While we would want all the money now, we should appreciate what we’ve got and focus on the next checkpoint,” he said.
“It’s critical we get this done.”
Cr Poynter said the time for “handstands” was over.
“(The $2 million) is only a small percentage of what they need to contribute,” he said.
“We shouldn’t be doing handstands because we’ve got a little bit of money … we need ongoing support from other levels of government.”
Residents will face a 4.1 per cent rate rise next financial year to fund council’s nearly $8 million contribution to the $23 million project.