Staff at the Factory Community Centre in Waterloo said they spent almost 12 months
preparing a grant application for funding under the Regional Partnerships
Program, for which Ms Plibersek provided a letter of support.
The application was for $53,000 to build a kitchen training
facility for teaching hospitality skills to disadvantaged locals.
The process involved a development application and hiring an
architect, which cost the centre $7000.
The Factory manager, Patrick
Russell, said the organisation was devastated by the sudden
rejection. “We heard about this in the media, after the program was
scrapped in the budget,” he said.
“We were given from the outset a lot of confidence that
this would be worth the trouble.”
Mr Russell said the rejection letter came from the
parliamentary secretary for regional development, Gary Gray, and was vaguely
worded.
The letter stated the rejection was because of “the
Government’s strong commitment to high standards of public administration,
accountability and fiscal responsibility”.
“This almost implies there is something unsound with
our application,” Mr Russell said.
A spokesperson for Mr Gray said a new program would be
taking the place of the Regional Partnerships Program.
He blamed the previous government for misleading
organisations applying for funding.
“The former government made irresponsible promises to
community groups that it had no intention of keeping,” he said.
Ms Plibersek said the program was closed because of
mismanagement found by the National Audit Office.
Photo: Phil Rogers – Patrick
Russell (far right) and others at the Factory Community Centre
are disappointed their grant application was refused.
Source:
Central 4 June 2008