MP denies broken promise

Como Jannali Junior Rugby League Club’s new facilities at Scylla Bay Oval are a giant step up from its former building, in a low-lying area, through which sewage washed during heavy rainfall.

Following a nasty wet weather incident in 2015, Sutherland Shire Council received 170 submissions from parents of children playing for the club asking for the clubhouse to be rebuilt.

The council allocated $1.193 million for the project, which was topped up by a $75,000 state government grant through a program with the National Rugby League.

The junior football club contributed about $325,000, part of which it had to borrow from the council.

The club’s former president and treasurer claim Miranda MP Eleni Petinos, at a face to face meeting, promised to provide $25,000 for the new clubhouse from either the government’s Community Building Partnership or Local Sport Grant programs.

However, program officials deemed the club ineligible because of the government’s previous grant.

Ms Petinos told the Leader she discussed the further grant application, but “no pledge was made”.

Ms Petinos said the government’s $75,000 grant was originally earmarked for the ground, which would have made a clubhouse grant possible.

“At some point in time after the [original] grant was given,someone re-purposed it so that it went into the clubhouse, rather than the field,” she said.

Former club president Craig Clifton, said, “Eleni said she would get us the $25,000, After that, she wouldn’t return any of our calls or emails.”

Another club source said senior Liberals had privately admitted the MP had “stuffed up”.

Ms Petinos said, “One of the men in question contacted my office staff to the point of harassment”.

Club president Hayden Garn said the present executive had not yet discussed the matter.