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\u201cSo just a little bit of a shortfall that we will continue to fundraise for,\u201d Torquay SLSC president Tiffany Quinlan said.<\/p>\nPRIME Minister Scott Morrison returned to the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) today (Monday, May 2) to announce a funding commitment of $6.5 million for a redevelopment of the 50-year-old facility should the Coalition win power at May 21’s federal election.<\/p>\n
Mr Morrison was last at the club in December, when he spoke with club representatives about their efforts to raise $15 million for a total rebuild of the centre alongside Liberal candidate for Corangamite Stephanie Asher and Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that you\u2019ve already raised a million, and I know how hard that is for clubs to do that,\u201d Mr Morrison said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do want to see that supported and matched by the state government and any others who can come in and support you.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the spectrum of support for surf clubs, it’s significant for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The federal pledge of $6.5m adds to a $3.5m pledge from the state Liberals earlier in the year, and $2 million the club has itself raised.
\n\u201cSo just a little bit of a shortfall that we will continue to fundraise for,\u201d Torquay SLSC president Tiffany Quinlan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re very ready for this.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great kickstart, it\u2019ll get some interest and tell people that we are real and we\u2019re really going to get this done.\u201d<\/p>\n
The club has grown 25 per cent in the past four years and now has 1,500 members that are projected to increase to 2,500 within the next five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are literally bursting at the seams, without this money we can\u2019t do what we need to do; everything we do is volunteer,\u201d Ms Quinlan said.<\/p>\n
Ms Asher said the funding would enable the club to keep pace with the rapidly expanding population of the area and visitors to the beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery, very busy surf beach obviously, more than 500 Nippers now and they\u2019ve had to cap the number of Nippers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if she expected her opponent, Corangamite Labor federal member Libby Coker, to equal the pledge, Ms Asher said it would be a good outcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the commitment is matched, then the winner is the community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison returned to the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) today (Monday, May 2) to announce a funding commitment of $6.5 million for a redevelopment of the 50-year-old facility should the Coalition win power at May 21’s federal election. Mr Morrison was last at the club in December, when he spoke with club […]<\/p>\n