Wake up Joondalup

In the absence of a mushroom to make the City of Joondalup’s coffers magically grow, Councillors found no way to cover the $10.5 million shortfall for the Sorrento Surf Life Saving redevelopment project.

So instead of doing the sensible thing and voting to progress a more measured development, or finding some other innovative way to solve the problem, seven councillors voted to delay the decision for another month.

All while arguing how critical it was that the project not be further delayed.

You could not make it up. Although apparently you can vote for it.

According to officers, Councillors learned about the problem more than three weeks ago. They had the available information. They knew the officer recommendation. If they did not like the way forward being proposed, they had three weeks to ask questions, liaise with the club, come up with solutions, formulate a Plan B.

It appears those seven councillors did none of that.

Instead, they came to Council with pompous speeches, claims the report did not support, and no actual solution.

We heard claims about Ministers offering more money. She didn’t.

Claims that officers said Option 1 would cost $30 million. They didn’t.

Suggestions that Council can simply “value engineer” its way out of a $10.5 million shortfall. It can’t.

And more misdirected blame toward the commercial element, even though if that element happens at all, it will only commence once the club is built.

Meanwhile, in his statement to Council, even the President of the Surf Club made it clear that he understood the circumstances and that the club was ready to work with the City to make the best of it.

Because, like the rest of us, he appears to have accepted reality.

Enough is enough.

So I am calling on the councillors who voted for another month of deferral: Councillors Chester, Count, Fishwick, Hill, Hutton, Pizzey and Vinciullo, to stop with this farce, listen to the club, and get on with the project.

Or, as the Mock Turtle might put it:

“Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?”

The City does not have magical money.

The current design is not affordable.

The club is ready to work with the City.

So stop delaying the decision in the name of avoiding delays.

Go back to a deliverable plan – I recommend Option 1.

And build the bloody thing!

#wakeupjoondalup