Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the late 1950s, local leaders, veterans and the community of Glenorchy in Hobart came together to fight for a local pool. The northern suburbs of Hobart were growing, filling fast with hydro workers and their families. Their leaders, many of them veterans, came together to lobby the council and the state government. The community ran raffles, baked cakes and got pledges from local businesses, and in the early 1960s the Glenorchy War Memorial Pool was opened—the community had won—and it had been built in record time. The pool commemorates Tasmanians who have served in wars, and in 1964, plaques were placed on the diving blocks.

A few months ago Glenorchy City Council announced they were temporarily closing the pool due to safety concerns. The council says it will take $30 million to fix the pool The councillors and the mayor told the community they could go to the aquatic centre that is 'only ten minutes' up the road. It's a lot more than that if you don't have a car. It's not near a bus stop, and there is limited parking. It's also always booked on most weekends. When a community member made an impassioned plea to save the pool she was told by a councillor 'not to romanticise the pool or dwell on the past'. What a slap in the face.

Glenorchy council says they've applied for Commonwealth grants with no luck. I'd like to know how many they have actually applied for. Local community pools are important. The Royal Life Saving Society says that for every dollar invested in a regional pool the social return is $2, not to mention the benefits from teaching kids to swim and in lowering drowning rates.

A week ago, locals were told the closure was permanent. Then yesterday the state government announced they were giving the council 200 grand for a business study on a pool precinct. That's interesting. It wouldn't have anything to do with an early state election would it? They are expanding the seat count in the Tasmanian parliament, and I reckon the Libs are worried about that. My message to the Glenorchy community is simply this: keep fighting hard. You have Andrew Wilkie behind you and you also have the Jacqui Lambie Network right beside you.