‘We have no capacity to do this’: Last-minute bid to push back $30m Darwin Civic Centre project

Debate became heated at the City of Darwin’s council meeting after an Alderman made an eleventh-hour bid to have Council’s $30m Civic Centre project pushed back.

• $30 million upgrades to Darwin Civic Centre the keystone of capital works program
• Darwin residents face 2.5 per cent rates increase in new council Budget

DEBATE became heated at the City of Darwin council meeting on Tuesday after an Alderman made an eleventh-hour bid to have Council’s $30m Civic Centre project pushed back a year.

After Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis raised a motion to pass the 2020/21 budget, which included $30m for a new Darwin Civic Centre, Alderman Simon Niblock raised a foreshadowed motion to have the funding deferred to next year’s budget.

Mr Niblock’s motion, which was seconded by Greens Alderman Robin Knox, also set aside $2 million for community consultation on the project.

Mr Niblock said he raised the motion because he believed Council would not be able to deliver the major project within the prescribed time frame.

“We have no capacity to do this,” Mr Niblock said.

“I think we need to be honest with the community and project a budget that is reasonable and achievable.

Concept design of the New Darwin council Civic centre, to be completed in late 2024. Picture: Supplied.

“It’s a complete furphy to suggest we are going to allocate this $30m without having to roll huge amounts of money in the next three years.”

Mr Vatskalis and Alderman Justine Glover hit back, asking why Mr Niblock was only then raising his concerns with the project.

“You’ve had a two week opportunity to talk to your fellow Aldermen about these issues,” Ms Glover said.

“This is a huge change.”

However, the original budget, including the funding for the Civic Centre, was passed with the support of all Aldermen apart from Mr Niblock and Ms Knox.

Mr Niblock asked that his dissent be recorded.

The moratorium on alfresco dining fees was also extended for 12 months following a motion that was flagged by Mr Vatskalis earlier this month.

In a statement released last night, Mr Vatskalis said the majority of community feedback on the budget was around outdoor dining fees.

“Council made the decision to extend the period for not charging outdoor dining fees for another 12 months,” he said.

“We’re actively listening to the views of our community, that is why we undertake consultation, and on this occasion, there has been a positive outcome.”

Of the total $91.5m allocated to capital investment in the “record-breaking” budget, $55m has been allocated to Council’s two major projects; the Casuarina Aquatic and Leisure Centre and the Redevelopment of the Darwin Civic Centre.

Ratepayers will cop a 2.5 per cent increase in rate payments under the budget, with the cost of carparking also going up by an average of 5.5 per cent, and entrance fees to council pools increasing.

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