Gympie regional council withdraws funding for sport expansion after floods

Months after being devastated by floods, Gympie sporting clubs have suffered another brutal blow after local funding was cut when they needed it most. VIDEO.

Gympie Regional council has slashed a $1 million spend on sport and recreation growth in the Gympie region, at a time clubs say they need it most.

The council had originally allocated $1 million in their annual budget to research new sporting fields, but that funding was cut by 90 per cent to $100,000 in October 2021.

Now, an email shared to a local Facebook group has revealed the funding was pulled altogether in April 2022.

It comes as several sporting clubs grapple with the repercussions of Gympie’s various flooding events this year, including the Gympie Hammers and Gympie’s Netball Association.

Sporting clubs were among the worst affected during the flooding disasters and first buildings to go under water.

Daniel Green shared a screenshot of this email to Facebook, which detailed the $1M budget cut originally designated for Gympie sport. Photo: Facebook

The news of the funding being withdrawn first broke on Tuesday after an email, which appeared to have been sent by a council staff member, was posted in Facebook group Grow Gympie Sports.

“Council’s budget is reviewed during the year by Council and where appropriate revised to make allowance for changed circumstances,” the email said.

“In relation to the $1M, it was revised to $100,000 in October to focus on studies.

“This was then removed from the budget in April due to the impacts of the recent flood events.”

Daniel Green (left) and Gympie Hammers Club Wade Flikweert (right) say Gympie’s sporting community needs support now more than ever. Photo: Jorina Maureschat.

Gympie athlete and PE teacher Daniel Green, who posted a screenshot of the email, said Gympie sport needed the money now more than ever, with facilities unable to keep up with demand and several clubs still battling repercussions of the floods.

He said Gympie sporting clubs have seen an upturn in members, which has contributed to the growing need for expansion.

“It’s a bit of a kick in the guts,” He told the Gympie Times on Wednesday.

In the wake of the floods, several clubs have been forced to share sporting grounds; including Gympie’s rugby union club which now shares Leprechaun Park with four other clubs.

Mr Green said other clubs were facing the same issue, which had resulted in game nights being extended and games being shortened to accommodate for everyone.

The result of this has forced clubs to extend their game nights and shorten games, Mr Green said.

“You have people playing sport until like ten o’clock on a school night,” he said.

“It’s just at the point now where we need growth.”

Additionally, he said the Gympie region’s sporting facilities paled in comparison to bigger regions such as the Sunshine Coast; which posed a threat as Gympie’s biggest competitor for sport.

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig said the funding was removed and allocated to a future budget because the council were not in a position to deliver on expanding Gympie sport.

Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig defended the council’s decision to remove the funding, which he said was moved to a future budget.

“...We were not in a position to deliver,” he told the Gympie Times on Wednesday.

“The need to implement more strategy in the sporting space has been a focus for this council.

“However it’s important to note the issue which many sporting clubs in our region face have not arisen overnight.

“We are indeed committed to working with our sporting groups to make sure we have viable and equitable outcomes across the board.”