By Mikayla van Loon
The funding of public pools and libraries has been established as a key Federal election priority in outer Melbourne’s growing and semi-regional areas.
Member councils of Melbourne’s outer ring, including the Yarra Ranges, have called on Federal MPs and candidates to back a fairer funding approach for the essential community infrastructure.
“Pools and libraries are some of the most beloved community facilities that we manage here at Council,” Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said.
“Unfortunately, the former are also some of our most expensive to establish and run.”
Outer Melbourne Councils (OMC), an alliance of 10 outer ring local government areas stretching from Wyndham to Mornington Peninsula, is calling for an immediate federal cash injection of $20 million and the adoption of a fair funding formula for public pools and libraries.
“We can’t have families living in the outer suburbs denied reasonable access to pools and libraries,” an OMC spokesperson said.
“Councils don’t have the money to fund these projects alone. We need funding certainty, and a fairer funding split.”
Given the closure of the Kilsyth Centenary Pool in 2023 and the vision for an aquatic centre in Lilydale to replace the key infrastructure loss, the Yarra Ranges understands the funding difficulties of maintaining and building pools.
“With extremely limited resources and income in local government, and ageing facilities and infrastructure that becomes increasingly costly to maintain, the simple fact of the matter is that every council needs help with this,” Cr Child said.
“We would like to see more investment from other levels of government, to help councils maintain and improve our existing pools and libraries, and help us plan for replacements as facilities reach the end of their functional life.
“We have positive relationships with the State and Federal Governments, and will work with them to find the appropriate revenue streams, while advocating for more investment.”
OMC said growth areas and semi-regional councils were experiencing a chronic shortage of pools and libraries because of ad-hoc funding arrangements from the federal and state governments.
These multi-million-dollar community infrastructure projects have often forced local councils to scramble for funding alone.
The councils want the future cost of pool and library construction and refurbishment to be split equally, with the Commonwealth, state government and local councils each contributing a third.
“Pools and libraries bring huge social and health benefits. But right now, due to the funding gaps, our communities are missing out,” Nillumbik Mayor John Dumaresq said.
“With funding from all levels of government we can ensure infrastructure is future-proofed and can cater for our communities’ demands now and into the future,” Cardinia Mayor Jack Kowarzik said.
The advocacy comes after Infrastructure Victoria released its 30-year draft strategy on Tuesday 4 March, identifying six infrastructure goals and 43 recommendations for Victoria, of which building libraries and aquatic centres featured as recommendation number five.
“Libraries and aquatic centres provide services tailored to local needs. These places offer information in different languages and build identity and community,” the draft strategy reads.
“They provide refuge from the heat and reduce the higher drowning risk for Australians born overseas. They also provide spaces for creative, cultural and physical activity. These services improve health and wellbeing which reduces government costs.”
The strategy attributes that for every $1 spent on an aquatic centre in a capital city, it provides $3.70 in benefits. Libraries deliver $2 to $4.30 in benefits for every $1 of investment
It also highlights that in established suburbs, there’s one library per 30,000 people and one aquatic centre for 58,000 people.
While Infrastructure Victoria’s recommendation suggests planning should be initiated for facilities in seven growth areas, like Melton, Casey and Wyndham, chief executive Dr Jonathan Spear said there was “lots the government can do to make better use of what it already has.”
“The government can prioritise getting better use from its existing assets, improve how it maintains infrastructure so it performs better and lasts longer, and publish long term plans so that other governments, industry and not-for-profit providers can make better informed choices on where and when to invest,” he said.
Funding for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades should be prioritised to make the most of the government’s nearly $400 billion worth of assets, noting the government can plan and sequence infrastructure delivery better so more people can reach facilities and services sooner, at less cost.
“Victorian Government agencies can do more to share their plans with each other, and with local governments and industry,” Dr Spear said.
“This helps identify opportunities to pool funding or streamline delivery. It also means infrastructure can cost less in the long term.”
The draft strategy is open for feedback until Monday 28 April. Provide feedback via engage.vic.gov.au/victorias30yearinfrastructurestrategy
