Matt Hewson
Two Geelong councillors have responded to public criticism over the council’s 11th hour decision to prioritise the grant application of one football netball club over that recommended by city officers.
Councillors Peter Murrihy and Melissa Cadwell made public statements at Tuesday night’s council meeting this week defending their role in shifting the council’s support from Bell Park Football Netball Club to Newtown and Chilwell Sporting Club.
Bell Park’s Hamlyn Park had all but received the backing of council to seek $1 million of government funding for new female friendly change facilities from the state government, as well as a City of Greater Geelong co-contribution of $700,000 for the project.
However, when the matter arose at the February council meeting, Councillor Peter Murrihy moved an alternative motion to withdraw support for the Hamlyn Park upgrades and instead provide support and co-contribution for an upgrade of the female change facilities at Newtown and Chilwell’s Elderslie Reserve.
The new motion, which was seconded by Councillor Melissa Cadwell, also increased both the amount sought by the state government grant application and the council’s contribution.
A vote to replace Hamlyn Park with Elderslie Park was carried by a vote of 6-3, with Crs Trent Sullivan, Ron Nelson and Anthony Aitken voted against.
During the February meeting Cr Murrihy admitted the “optics were not good”, and that statement has proven true; during the subsequent outcry he has been accused of having a conflict of interest given he coached at Newtown and Chilwell for two seasons in the late 1990s.
At the council meeting this week, a visibly troubled Cr Murrihy responded to those claims, saying he firmly believed he had “no conflict of interest to declare”.
“I was not a Newtown player, I’ve never been on a committee there, I have no influence over the club, and have nothing to gain personally from any decision about funding received by the club,” he said.
“In fact, I have seen more football at Bell Park over the past few seasons than Newtown, and a few years ago saw a lot of football at Bell Park when my nephew played there.”
He categorised the claims against him as unfair, saying those who attacked him via email, messages and social media had “played the man, not the ball”, which had “taken its toll” on him.
“Of course I will do everything in my power to advocate (and) ensure that the Bell Park project gets funded, in either available funding streams or in the upcoming budget,” he said.
“It has my full support, as have other projects from the Hamelyn Park Master Plan.”
Cr Cadwell said both projects remained on the council’s priority projects list for upgrades to support female participation.
“The project that council supported has the strongest chance of success for this round of grant applications,” she said.
“Facilities at both grounds are in obvious need of upgrade, and dedicated female facilities for all sporting codes are clearly needed.”
She said councillors routinely accepted, rejected or amended recommendations from city officers.
“It’s not my role as a councillor to just rubber stamp whatever council officers put to the council chamber,” Cr Cadwell said.
“Anything coming to the council chamber is up for debate, amendment, rejection or approval.”
