Before the 2019 ‘sports-rorts saga’ Goolwa Pony Club was on track for a $40 000 infrastructure grant.

More than two years later, and despite the recommendation of a Parliamentary committee, they’re still waiting.

Club President Dr James Meyer is determined not to let the matter slip though. 

He’s drawn up a petition to the Federal Parliament asking that the Pony Club and 93 other clubs around the country who were going to have their projects funded get the money they need to improve their facilities.

The club wants to replace their World War II era Nissen Hut, which has been their clubhouse for decades.

“It’s been well maintained,” says James. “But the age of the tin is such that you can almost stick your finger through it.”

The club is hoping that with the new indoor facilities they can encourage other clubs to make use of their grounds on the edge of Goolwa, giving them a sustainable source of income so they can survive into the future.

The project met the criteria of the infrastructure grant funding and was on a list of approved clubs before then Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie made changes.

The McLaren Football Club and the Coromandel Valley Ramblers Cricket Club were also removed from the list of successful applicants by the Minister.

A subsequent Senate Select Committee Report found that the Government had not acted transparently and had inappropriately used grants for partisan political purposes. Minister McKenzie has since resigned but the Government still has not given the clubs the funding they missed out on – despite the Committee’s recommendation to do so.

Dr Meyer was hoping the money would be allocated in last week’s Federal Budget but when it wasn’t he decided to take action.

The Member for Mayo, Rebecca Sharkie, has agreed to present the petition to the House of Representatives and Senator Don Farrell has also promised to support it in the Senate.

The petition can be signed online online before the closing date of 9 June.

Dr James Meyer, Di Keach and Michael Scott from the Goolwa Pony Club and the WWII era Nissen Hut they are hoping to replace.