ACT Greens Member for Brindabella, Laura Nuttall, says Tuggeranong has been failed twice by the ACT Labor Government: first when it scrapped the promised ice rink, and now by shutting out the very community it broke that promise to.
Sports and Recreation Minister Chris Steel announced the $16.265 million would instead go to other sports and recreation projects in Tuggeranong. But the fine print reveals the Minister plans to keep consultation closed only to ACT-affiliated clubs and organisations, district community councils, and licensed clubs - essentially locking out the wider community yet again.
"Tuggeranong has been failed again. First, the community was shut out of a major decision about its future. Now, instead of genuine consultation, the Government's even limiting who gets a say on how to spend the leftovers.
"The whole point of the Tuggeranong ice rink was that it was open to the general public, alongside grassroots and elite athletes. And as awesome as our local sports clubs and community councils are, forcing them to choose between long-overdue sports investment for their members and speaking for the needs of the broader Tuggeranong community isn't fair on anyone.
"The Government can't break their promise to deliver a rink called for by the community for over a decade, redirect the funding, and then claim the community has been heard - when most residents were never invited into the conversation in the first place.
"The Government should be doing everything it can to rebuild trust with Tuggeranong residents. Tuggeranong deserves a genuine conversation about what kind of town centre we want, what services and infrastructure are needed, and how we create opportunities for the next generation.
"If the Government is serious about rebuilding trust, they need to move beyond transactional engagement and embrace genuine community-led decision-making," said Miss Nuttall.
