Treasurer Josh Frydenberg visited the pool with the mayor of North Sydney,Jilly Gibson,and North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman during an election campaign stop last April.Credit:Jessica Hromas
The controversy surrounding the"sports rorts"scandal engulfing the Morrison government has spread beyond Federal Parliament to the $58 million revamp of North Sydney's ageing public pool.
Cr Gibson said she was"surprised"to learn a $10 million federal contribution promised for the project was drawn from the government's $150 million"female facilities and water safety stream".
Loading
The scheme,announced weeks before the federal election last May,was originally designed to build female change rooms and upgrade community swimming pools in rural and regional areas.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg made the $10 million election commitment when he visited the pool - in a safe Liberal seat - with North Shore MP Trent Zimmerman and Cr Gibson last April.
Cr Gibson said the funds were"federal government money well spent",particularly given the council was"trying to preserve and improve such an iconic pool,that is part of our Olympic history".
"I maintain[the pool] is a regional facility. It's used by people from all over the state and throughout the country. We have a lot of international tourists coming through the turnstiles every day,"she said.