Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, has today publicly released the Port Kembla Destination Development Plan to help inform community groups and other stakeholders in the Port Kembla area in their application process under Round Four of the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund (PKCIF)

Mr Scully said he had obtained the plan under the state’s GIPA laws and was disappointed the document had not been publicly released by the NSW Government.

“This plan was funded from a community fund and should have been publicly available a long time ago.

“It shows the tourism potential of the Port Kembla area and there are a number of ideas in this plan that could prompt interest from investors and the local community to kick start tourism based projects, which could start new business opportunities and jobs in the area.

“I just don’t understand why the Government is so keen to keep this plan under wraps and not release it.

“I called on the Deputy Premier to release the plan multiple times.  He hasn’t, so now I have”, he said.

Mr Scully said he was also very disappointed that two other projects funded under Round Two of the PKCIF in 2017 still remained secret.

He made an application under the GIPA to obtain access to the Port Kembla Surplus Industrial Land Activation Project and a report on heavy metal contaminants from industrial activity in Port Kembla but was denied the documents.

“These government agencies are keeping secret the work that was done with $140,000 in funds from a community fund and the documents should be available to the community.

“That funding would have been better spent on an unsuccessful community project instead of government agencies pilfering money from a grant program and keeping the results secret.

“The Berejiklian Government should release the results of these two studies along with the much-talked about PKCIF review immediately so the public can see them”, he said.

Applications for Round Four of the PKCIF are now open and close on the 31 October 2020 at 5pm.

The Port Kembla Destination Development Plan is available on Mr Scully’s website at www.paulscullymp.com.au