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LAST POOL RALLY
(26 FEB 2006)


View Channel 7 News footage of the rally.

Outcomes: Pledges of full support with speakers and letters from Trades Hall including CFMEU, ELU, AWU, UFUA, VICTORIAN POLICE ASSOCIATION, MARITIME UNION.

Local schools and youth workers support.

550 residents attend despite threat of rain.

Over $1000.00 donations to the ongoing Pool Fighting Fund.

17 Motions
unanimously passed.

Petitions signed and circulated.

Channel Seven News coverage, major article in The Age, Age Editorial and Herald/Sun article. Local newspaper coverage.

Huge boost to subscriber lists.

New pool song launched:
Listen to Bob Valentine's rendition of "Twistin' by the Sunshine Pool"

More rally details here...



10 January 2006:
The Sunshine Pool crisis made front page of The Age in early January and our sorry story was also picked up in depth by 3AW and by Channel Nine News. Watch video

3CR Wed 22nd March

Interview with Darlene Reilly of the Sunshine residents & Ratepayers Association

10 January 2006:
Council claims at VCAT that master planning is not required for the $7.6 million project (despite it being an SRV condition of funding!!) and that a permit is not required to demolish the outdoor 50 metre pool, the learn to swim pool and outdoor toddler pools. View the VCAT presentations here

Council receives $3.19M interest revenue “bonus” from the Sunshine Pool Development and other deferred projects. Ironic that the outdoor pool could be repaired and heated for less than this amount!
Council Interest Windfall but No Outdoor Pool for Sunshine

9 January 2006:
Sunshine residents prepare for VCAT to stop council filling in three outdoor pools.
Press release

4 January 2006:
Pool makes front page of the age and the issue discussed on 3AW in depth:
The sun's shining, but more in the east

 

December 2005:
Justin Madden, Telmo Langueller and Brendan O'Connor hand out How-To-Vote cards for standing Labor councillors. Madden hands out cards for Natalie Suleyman who is now mayor again.

Natalie cheered and applauded when previous Mayor Sam David threatened gallery with cancelling the whole pool redevelopment process.

14 years and the 'Labor Team' has refused to repair or adeqately replace our 50 metre pool.

It is time for the community to rally and raise funds so we can fix the pool ourselves - like we did in the late 50's when we first built the bloody thing.

 

October 2005: Its 13 years now and our three outdoor pools are still not repaired. Reports by consultants have indicated the remaining 25 metre - 6 lane indoor pool is the most used pool in Victoria. It is so over crowded that less than 30% of the population bother going there anymore. And now $7.6 million dollars of community and State Government funds later, and Brimbank Council have applied for a permit to build a three foot deep indoor pool - and to bury the Olympic Pool and two other outdoor pools forever...
Brimbank City Council commits to meaningless community consultation.

October 2005: Brimbank Council rejects plan to build an outdoor pool. Recreation manager Carol Julian claims council will review the situation in 2 or 3 years time. i.e. It will be 16 years before they even consider building or fixing our outdoor pools. Two generations of teenagers won't swim...ever!

October 2005: Dept Victorian Communities survey indicates Brimbank is the least active of Victoria's 79 local government areas and has very poor recreation and leisure facilities and infrastructures. Will Justin Madden allow the councillors to spend State Government funds on a useless three foot deep pool with no masterplan, no thought for 2030 and let them bury hundreds of square metres of existing aquatic space?

August 2005: Council confirms intentions to build a 3 foot deep wading pool as replacement to the 50 metre pool. Council ignores fact that Sunshine has the least aquatic space in Victoria. Labour Unity Councillor Ian Douglas states he has had talks with union officials in council. Union officials say there was no contact and that bans remain in place.

April 2005: Sunshine Swim and Leisure centre redevelopment still not included in the Brimbank Aquatic Strategy...
Consultants refuse to include Sunshine Pool in Brimbank Acquatic Strategy.
Read more..

November 2004:
New photos: All the councils to the north of us are getting their outdoor pools ready for summer!

Take the photo tour
Take the tour

- More slideshows

26 October 2004: Mayor says council is not interested in offer of additional funding to be raised by community endeavour and local business to do the job properly. "No we are not interested in that" he said at council meeting!

CEO Marylin Duncan says State Government funds for sport and recreational strategy approaching 2030 will 'not' be applied for.

Ian Douglas claims 10000 citizens have been consulted with. The facts are that 6000 pool users were asked one question: What's your postcode?

October 7th 2004:
Two identical pools - two different municipalities

September 27th:
No swimming again this summer - Why?

September 10th:
Brimbank Aquatic Strategy total farce - part 2.

SEPTEMBER 2004 - Brimbank Aquatic Strategy does not not include community consultation or feasability study for Sunshine Pool site!

The huge city of Sunshine will not have one outdoor pool!

Consultants refuse to include Sunshine in strategy.
Read more..

December 2005:
"Community Labor" team launched for council election.
Justin Madden, Telmo Langueller and Brendan O'Connor hand out How-To-Vote cards for standing Labor councillors wearing ALP shirts and brandishing huge colour "Community Labor" posters.

Madden hands out cards for Natalie Suleyman who is now mayor again.

Natalie cheered and applauded when previous Mayor Sam David threatened gallery with cancelling the whole pool redevelopment process.

14 years and the 'Labor Team' has refused to repair or adeqately replace our 50 metre pool.

It is time for the community to rally and raise funds so we can fix the pool ourselves - like we did in the late 50's when we first built the bloody thing.

October 2005: Its 13 years now and our three outdoor pools are still not repaired. Reports by consultants have indicated the remaining 25 metre - 6 lane indoor pool is the most used pool in Victoria. It is so over crowded that less than 30% of the population bother going there anymore. And now $7.6 million dollars of community and State Government funds later, and Brimbank Council have applied for a permit to build a three foot deep indoor pool - and to bury the Olympic Pool and two other outdoor pools forever...
Brimbank City Council commits to meaningless community consultation.

October 2005: Brimbank Council rejects plan to build an outdoor pool. Recreation manager Carol Julian claims council will review the situation in 2 or 3 years time. i.e. It will be 16 years before they even consider building or fixing our outdoor pools. Two generations of teenagers won't swim...ever!

October 2005: Dept Victorian Communities survey indicates Brimbank is the least active of Victoria's 79 local government areas and has very poor recreation and leisure facilities and infrastructures. Will Justin Madden allow the councillors to spend State Government funds on a useless three foot deep pool with no masterplan, no thought for 2030 and let them bury hundreds of square metres of existing aquatic space?

August 2005: Council confirms intentions to build a 3 foot deep wading pool as replacement to the 50 metre pool. Council ignores fact that Sunshine has the least aquatic space in Victoria. Labour Unity Councillor Ian Douglas states he has had talks with union officials in council. Union officials say there was no contact and that bans remain in place.

April 2005: Sunshine Swim and Leisure centre redevelopment still not included in the Brimbank Aquatic Strategy...
Consultants refuse to include Sunshine Pool in Brimbank Acquatic Strategy.
Read more..

 

 

 

 

We invite all State MPs, councilors and residents to correct any information by posting to the open forum!


CFMEU puts its muscle behind the Western Suburbs community! At least someone is prepared to look out for us!

Martin KinghamThe Victorian CFMEU is one of the leading unions in the State. It is a union with a proud past and militant and democratic approach to industrial issues. At the October 18th (2003) Save The Pool Rally Brimbank residents were not standing up to the council alone. After due consultation Martin Kingham, the Victorian State Secretary of the CFMEU, placed a work ban on the Sunshine 50 metre pool site. It means that any sabotage of our 50 metre pool (i.e. turning it into a car park) attempted by council will be a direct breech of both the Victorian and National Construction Divisions of the CFMEU.

Mr Kingham asked several local union members who were also present at the rally to keep an eye on the site much to the delight of the large group of local residents who have been deprived of the pool for nearly a decade.

The CFMEU has developed a reputation of upholding the rights of local communities and helping individuals achieve their goals. Not only is the saving of the Sunshine Outdoor Pool a great example but we have also seen Trade Unions support many other community based issues including building union bans on development of the Fitzroy pool site should it have been sold while the community campaign continued.

Fitzroy have got their 50 metre pool back; now its our turn!

savesunshinepool.com on behalf of all members of the local community who want the pool back would like to thank Martin Kingham and the CFMEU for their continued support!

Update: Feb 2006 - The CFMEU bans and community concerns have also been endorsed by Trades Hall and the Victorian Police Association. Unions that also endorse the bans and that have pledged support for the Sunshine Pool campaign include the Victorian Police Association, CFMEU, Australian Workers Union, United Fire Fighters Union, Electrical Trade Union of Australia and Australian Maritime Union.


Visit the Sunshine Community Pool Action Group website

Any images and text on this site can be used freely by any organisation or media outlet without permission!

www.savesunshinepool.com


www.savesunshinepool.com is a non politically aligned website.
The only party we support is the pool party we all have once they fill the repaired outdoor pool with water.