Labor’s pledges $7.5m to help fun major upgrade of Casuarina Pool

Labor has committed federal funding toward a $25m upgrade to an aquatic centre in Darwin’s Northern Suburbs, in a sign campaigning has begun for the 2022 election.

FEDERAL Labor has offered voters of Solomon the first promise of a cash splash leading into the election campaign, promising to fund a long-awaited rebuild of the Casuarina Swimming Centre.

With federal pollies from both sides already unofficially campaigning in the Top End ahead of a likely May election, the NT News can reveal Labor would commit $7.5m to overhauling the facility for the first time since the 1980s.

Darwin City Council would foot the rest of the $25m cost for upgrading it.

The new facility will include a ‘resort-style lagoon’, swimming pool, learn-to-swim pools, fitness equipment, barbecue facilities and space for a tenant, such as a cafe or restaurant.

The new $25m Casuarina Pool, which will include kids play areas. Picture: City of Darwin

Incumbent Solomon MP Luke Gosling, who is fighting for re-election, said the existing facilities were in dire need of an upgrade.

“The Casuarina pool is essential infrastructure for the Northern suburbs that has been left to decline for years,” Mr Gosling said.

“Federal Labor will invest $7.5m to revitalise it, because Territorians live in the best part of the country and deserve the best amenities.”

Darwin City Council has long wished to renovate the centre, but have been unable to source funding from the Coalition government.

The upgrade to the Casuarina Pool will include space for a restaurant or cafe. Picture: City of Darwin

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said he wanted to deliver a pool which could stand the test of time for the Northern suburbs.

“It will be good for young families and it will be good for up and coming athletes,” Mr Vatskalis said.

“We put an application in for $7.5m with Building Better Regions (grant scheme), so we are very pleased one political party has promised funding.”

“Any contribution by the federal government, any political persuasion, is welcome.”

Mr Vatskalis said council would foot the bill for the rest of the centre’s $25m upgrade. The upgrade was first proposed when Mr Vatskalis first was elected to Lord Mayor. He said maintaining the existing 50-year-old infrastructure was impossible, because measurements were designed in the old Imperial system.

Major commitment for new Darwin Holocaust memorial

A MUSEUM helping teach future generations about the pain and horror of the Holocaust will be built in Darwin.

The Northern Territory is the last in the nation to not have a memorial remembering the crimes against the Jewish people committed by the Nazi regime.

The federal government has committed $750,000 toward the construction of the memorial next door to the Darwin Military Museum.

Acting Federal Education Minister Stuart Robert said the new facility was part of a federal government commitment to increase Holocaust awareness in Australia. “The museum will join other Jewish and Holocaust museums around Australia in creating a deeper understanding of this dark period of world history and valuing the free society we have in Australia today,” Mr Robert said.

Federal Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert said it was now more important than ever to educate generations on the lessons of the Holocaust. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

The announcement comes just a week after a Gandel Foundation report found a quarter of adult Australians had little to no knowledge of the Holocaust. The report also found 70 per cent of people were not aware of Australia’s history with the genocide.

“This report shows it is more important than ever that we invest in Holocaust education as a tribute to the victims and survivors and to ensure these atrocities are never forgotten and never repeated,” Mr Robert said.

He also thanked the NT government, saying they had provided support to ensure the memorial could be built.

The memorial will be built at the Darwin Military Museum. Picture: Shaana McNaught/Tourism NT

NT Education Minister Lauren Moss said having a memorial to the Holocaust in Darwin would make it easier for Territory educators to teach younger generations about World War Two.

“It is important that our young people learn about the Holocaust, to help ensure these atrocities are never forgotten and never repeated,” Ms Moss said.

The Holocaust was the systematic murder of 6 million Jews, along with other minorities, by Nazi Germany.

Between 1941 and 1945, the state-sponsored genocide killed two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population.

Originally published as Labor’s pledges $7.5m to help fun major upgrade of Casuarina Pool