Winter expressess discontent over funding for Wilkie’s electorate

The Federal Government’s funding investments into independent MP Andrew Wilkie’s electorate ahead of this year’s election has left one Greater Hobart mayor seething.

Kingborough mayor Dean Winter. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

THE Federal Government’s huge funding investments into independent MP Andrew Wilkie’s electorate ahead of this year’s election has left one Greater Hobart mayor seething.

Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter has questioned the Government’s commitment to the city deal and said they seemed more interested in “pork barrelling Clark”.

Mr Wilkie has won more than $53 million in federal funding for the electorate since the Morrison Government lost its majority in October last year, including a $12.8 million northern suburbs junior football hub announced yesterday.

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The majority of Kingborough Council area falls in the federal division of Franklin, including the major centres of Kingston and Margate.

“While I don’t decry the various sports clubs who have benefited from $53 million of Government investment across the electorate of Clark, this is exactly the kind of unabashed pork barrelling the City Deal was designed to avoid,” Cr Winter said.

“None of the pet projects selected by Mr Wilkie align with the City Deal — $53 million would have made a hefty contribution to dealing with Hobart’s growing congestion issues. Even the northern suburbs light rail in Mr Wilkie’s electorate is still underfunded.”

Federal member for Clark Andrew Wilkie. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

But Mr Wilkie said the City Deal was intended to be a broad framework bringing together the three levels of government and addressing big-ticket projects, and that it couldn’t fund the countless smaller projects covered by government grant programs.

“If Mayor Winter is unhappy with the level of federal investment in Kingborough then he needs to raise it with his federal members,” Mr Wilkie said.

“I make no apologies for fighting hard for my electorate and delivering in spades.

“The fact the Clark electorate is enjoying a boost in Federal Government investment is unrelated to the City Deal and indeed well outside the scope of the deal.”

Mr Wilkie’s electorate contains a small section of Kingborough, including Taroona, Bonnet Hill and Firthside, but he said Cr Winter had not asked for any Commonwealth funding for projects in those areas.