New BRRA poll shows majority of residents oppose Aquatic Centre development

A new poll commissioned by the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association has been touted as proof the community is against the $83m plan, but one councillor has taken aim at the question asked.

A Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association poll shows three out of four residents oppose the Bundaberg Aquatic Centre development.

Accusations of a “loaded” question have been made over a new survey which the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association claims shows two thirds of the region are opposed to the new aquatic centre.

The phone poll of residents, commissioned by the BRRA, found that 66 per cent of respondents were not in favour of the controversial project.

Respondents were presented with the question “The New Bundaberg Aquatic Centre Development cost has blown out to $83 million. Is this a project you support?”.

Finance portfolio spokesman and Division 8 Councillor Steve Cooper said the responses indicating a lack of support for the Aquatic Centre were influenced by the “loaded” question.

President of the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association Helen Blackburn said the polling shows the demolition of the ANZAC Pool with a view to building the Aquatic Centre was not what the public wanted.

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“You would think that they would do a poll to find out what the public might think before entering into something that’s a generational project and going to cost us for many, many years to come,” Ms Blackburn said.

“It’s not something that two thirds of us wanted, we felt that the pool that we had was quite sufficient for our needs.

“We’re not really gaining anything other than a huge debt with this.”

President of the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association Helen Blackburn said the polling shows the Aquatic Centre development was not what the public wanted, and council should provide detailed financial reporting to allay public concerns about the project.

With the project well underway and scheduled for completion by January 2025 according to Council’s project website, Ms Blackburn said ongoing discontent with the Aquatic Centre was related to council’s refusal to provide detailed costings supporting claims that the project is on time and on budget.

“A lot of the angst from the community comes from the fact that we don’t know how much it’s going to end up costing us,” she said.

“We don’t know what variations there may be to the contract, even though it was supposed to be a fixed contract at the beginning.

“It’s supposed to be on time and on budget.

“If that’s the case, then the council should have no problem providing that detail to us.”

Mr Cooper said he often spoke to ratepayers who are supportive of the Aquatic Centre development.

Councillor Steve Cooper said public support was strong for the project, and he often spoke to ratepayers who are "excited" about the new Aquatic Centre.

“If you ask a loaded question you get a loaded answer, and I believe that the question relating to the pool was absolutely loaded,” Mr Cooper said.

“Last week, someone pulled me up to tell me how excited they are, and even one of my neighbours pulled me aside to tell me that his kids come up from Brisbane, and they’re asking ‘when can I get to swim in the new pool?

“The word’s out that this is going to be a special pool.”

Mr Cooper said community consultation including surveys conducted prior to starting the centre showed it had public support at the time.

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In response to a request for the data demonstrating public support for the project, council provided a 2021 Community Engagement Summary Report stating “overall there was strong community support for developing a new Aquatic Facility”.

However responses to a survey question asking if respondents would use the new aquatic facility are not included in the report.

Of the 91 people who responded to the survey, 81 gave a positive answer to a question asking if they would use a heated pool if it was available in winter, which the report notes is planned for the Aquatic Centre.

The BRRA polling was conducted by an external polling company on July 22 and 24, with BRRA members excluded from the contact list.

BRRA did not disclose the number of people polled but said “a good cross section of the community” was surveyed.

Originally published as New BRRA poll shows majority of residents oppose Aquatic Centre development