Labor’s promised $1.27bn community infrastructure delayed

Work has not started on hundreds of infrastructure upgrades for female change rooms, men’s sheds, parks, cultural and sporting facilities more than 18 months after Labor promised the funds. Search the list of delayed projects.

Playgrounds, parks and oval upgrades are among the hundreds of projects Labor promised that are still awaiting contracts. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Work has not started on hundreds of infrastructure upgrades for female change rooms, men’s sheds, parks, cultural and sporting facilities more than 18 months after Labor promised the funds, with $1.27 billion worth of projects stalled in red tape.

Only 39 of the 454 community upgrades Labor funded across two programs during the 2022 federal election are now underway, while the remainder have not yet been contracted.

The Albanese Government has been accused of “gross incompetence” for failing to get the money from its Investing in Our Communities and Priority Community Infrastructure programs out the door more efficiently, leaving sporting clubs, community groups and local councils likely having to find extra cash to get projects finished due to skyrocketing labour costs and inflation.

The figures provided by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development during Senate Estimates show to date just $28.9m worth of projects have been contracted.

A $3m new splash park for Caboolture north of Brisbane, a $1.5m Hindu Community Hub at The Basin in Victoria, $12.8m for playgrounds, dog parks and community facilities for families living near the new GreenWay precinct in Sydney and a $1m synthetic playing surface for the Forestville Hockey Club in Adelaide are among the 175 projects still “in assessment” by the department, more than a year after the funds were budgeted by Labor.

Upgrades to ovals, lighting, women’s change rooms, disability access and cultural centres across Australia are among a further 174 projects the department is still waiting on information for, while 66 projects are in the “negotiating agreement” phase.

A $2m upgrade to Henderson Park in Sydney is still being assessed by the department 18 months after Labor promised funds. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Coalition infrastructure spokeswoman Senator Bridget McKenzie said the number of projects languishing in bureaucracy was a “startling admission of gross incompetence” by the government.

“These are not major infrastructure projects with massive lead times, these are upgrades to sporting facilities, to community hall kitchens, female change rooms … and improvements to community hubs,” she said.

“We are talking about upgrades to Men’s Sheds, improvements to Indigenous and multicultural facilities like Greek, Hindu and Sikh centres.”

Coalition Infrastructure spokeswoman Senator Bridget McKenzie has accused Labor of incompetence over the slow funding. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms McKenzie said even if all the projects are eventually delivered the delays will have pushed up costs.

“Inflation and labour costs have skyrocketed … which means community organisations will have to find more money,” she said.

Funds for the Cessnock Regional Skate Park are yet to be contracted. Picture: Supplied

Community groups and councils invited to apply for grant money after being promised the funding by Labor have until November 30 to submit final information, but there remains no timeline for the assessment or negotiation phases to be completed.

Only seven infrastructure projects have been contracted each in Queensland and NSW, six in Victoria and eight in South Australia.

Across the two grant programs only one project has been contracted in Tasmania, one in the ACT and none in the Northern Territory.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King was contacted for comment, but did not respond by deadline.

Originally published as Labor’s promised $1.27bn community infrastructure delayed