Henderson splashes $20 million for Torquay pool

THE Liberals have made a huge dive for the pool vote in Corangamite, with incumbent MP Sarah Henderson announcing on Sunday that $30 million would go towards aquatic centres in Torquay and the northern Bellarine Peninsula.

Ms Henderson announced the $20 million for a Torquay aquatic centre with a 50-metre pool next to the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club alongside members of the Jan Juc Surf Life Saving Club, who have supported her petition on the issue.

She also announced $10 million towards a north Bellarine pool earlier in the day.

Ms Henderson’s commitment in Torquay – which she said was from the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants program and was part of the 2019/20 budget – was made three days after the election being called for May 18 and months after Labor candidate for Corangamite Libby Coker pledged $15.3 million towards an aquatic centre with a 25-metre pool.

Ms Henderson, who has campaigned for a Torquay pool at varying levels of intensity since being elected, has frequently criticised the Surf Coast Shire for not applying for federal grants towards the project.

“It’s something I have strongly backed for a very

long time, and this has been a very big aspiration for this community,” she said.

The Surf Coast Shire has put aside land for a pool but has said it will not revisit its plans – put on hold in late 2015 – until after the federal election but the bipartisan announcements make the project much more likely, as the state Labor government made an election pledge of $10 million towards the project last year. As a result, the shire will have at least $25.3 million for an aquatic centre regardless of the federal election result.

“I think the community would be devastated if the shire turned its back on $30 million,” Ms Henderson said.

Jan Juc SLSC president Aaron Green welcomed the announcement.

“From our surf club side of things, and I know other surf clubs share our thoughts, aquatic safety is at the heart of what we do,” he said.

“More access to pools will create more people with confidence in the water, so that’s really important to us.”