Sin-bin for Warren's sports vision
WARREN Entsch's grand vision for sports infrastructure in Cairns has been dismissed as a "hodgepodge, time-wasting wish list" by Cairns regional councillors.
The council yesterday rubbished a report by the Cairns Business and Sporting Group set up by Mr Entsch, which outlines more than $51 million of "shovel ready" construction projects for sports in the region.
Councillors criticised the group for giving false ideas to the public about what it meant for a project to be shovel ready, and putting forward ideas out of step with those already in the council’s pipeline.
Mr Entsch has criticised the council’s laborious approach to planning public infrastructure, insisting feasibility studies and consultancies are often "an expensive waste of time".
That prompted council bosses to take a closer look at Mr Entsch’s own plans for infrastructure upgrades.
The council’s formal response to the master plan will be a one-page letter stating that the group’s priorities mostly do not align with council’s priorities over the next six years.
But the letter was described as a "polite" version of how councillors really felt about the master plan.
Mayor Val Schier acknowledged the importance of upgrading facilities, but said those involved in Mr Entsch’s group might have had more success working with the council.
"The figures are a bit rubbery, there’s nothing in there about the southern area, and then we’ve got small things thrown in there (that) are not at all strategic in their thinking," Cr Schier said of the plan.
"To me it’s a hodgepodge list. I used to say it was done on the back of an envelope, but I have to concede the report is bigger than an envelope. However, it’s still not the planning we need to really achieve things in this region."
Mr Entsch said the criticism highlighted why the current CRC would be a one-term council.
"They have no vision whatsoever," Mr Entsch said. "The city lacks the infrastructure to consistently attract major sporting events."
Cr Kirsten Lesina said Mr Entsch’s group had lied by saying projects were ready for construction and Cr Di Forsyth said the plan was a waste of the council’s time.
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