Community Development Grant/Pork barrelling - Pot-a-to/Pot-ar-to

Hello Supporters,

Sadly, the park has now been obliterated.

It has been replaced by this terribly out of place, 4-metre high tilt-up precast concrete panel frame, which now confronts those driving along the stretch of West Coast Highway between Pearl Parade & Karrinyup Road and despite promises to the contrary, is clearly visible from the Trigg Bushland Reserve and from surrounding neighbourhoods.  

Where 10 mature Casuarina trees and a Norfolk Pine once provided Trigg beach goers with much needed shade, this eyesore now stands as a permanent monument to the practice of (mis)using public funds to benefit political parties rather than the communities they are elected to represent, aka: pork barrelling.

A copy of the Business Case and Community Development Grant application for the $4.4million of public money which is paying for this building was obtained under FOI. A 30 page analysis of the numerous, alarming anomalies contained therein has been prepared and forwarded to relevant anti-corruption agencies for further investigation.

For example:

- Did you know that the WA state government had refused to fund this building - not once - but 4 times in 4 years, then perplexingly, on the eve of the 2019 election, both the Federal Liberal and Labor parties staged photo opps at Trigg Beach as construction of this unnecessary building was somehow suddenly deemed a Federal responsibility? 

- Did you also know that the Performance Audit on the CDG program conducted by the ANAO in 2018, found that there needs to be evidence of measurable benefits to be realised as a result of projects funded by the CDG program - and that there is not one measurable benefit associated with this building?

- And what about the fact that one of the stated objectives was to be able to provide “High Performance Training” to surfing students, however, SWA subsequently “adjusted the model” and this type of training now occurs in yet ANOTHER new, purpose built coastal facility - in Margaret River?  

- Then there’s this: “Surfing WA currently has 8 full time staff… 5 are not required to be permanently based at the beach”.  Why then is it necessary to create office space with a footprint equivalent in size to a basketball court?

If you would like to read the analysis of the CDG application and Business Case, please message the Parks not Offices Facebook page to request a copy.

Thank you for demonstrating your support by signing this petition. Although the result was not as we’d hoped, there is certainly great honour in trying.