I READ the May 8 New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News in disbelief of the actions of our Derwent Valley Council directing the New Norfolk District Football Club to remove the sponsorship sign of Labor’s Brian Mitchell and other parliamentarians. The DVC is biting the hand that feeds them in an extraordinary way.
The DVC through the new CEO has short memories and even less vision for the future of the Derwent Valley as it was through the hard work of Mr Mitchell securing funding for several projects across the New Norfolk region that we currently have the facilities we do now. If it was left to the DVC to manage and fund, we would be seeing more facilities looking like the run-down Boyer oval grandstand was prior to the works commencing.
Just to remind the readers and rate payers the following projects were funded by the federal government (and not by the Derwent Valley Council) through funding secured by Mr Mitchell:
- Tynwald Oval Pavillion (housing the New Norfolk Cricket Club and New Norfolk Junior Football Club)
- Tynwald Oval soccer facilities and lighting upgrade (under the DVC they had nothing and had to put up tents and marques up to run the club out of on game days)
- Boyer Oval new change rooms and upgraded existing change rooms
- Boyer Oval cricket nets
- Boyer Oval new pavilion / canteen / function room
All of these have had a major effect on the community groups that were left to fend for themselves under the DVC funding/management. One wonders how politicians will now look at the Derwent Valley Council when they come begging for funding in the future, knowing how they will be treated once the money has flowed through?
Its also interesting that politicians’ sponsorship signs are allowed to be erected at other councils’ sporting and council managed facilities across southern Tasmania.
JUSTIN BENSON,
NEW NORFOLK
Note: This letter originally referred to the March 8 edition of the News, which has been corrected to May 8. The error was made by the editor.
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2 Responses
I feel that someone at Council is sitting on a high horse at the moment and I think the horse is either called ‘good governance’ or ‘transparency’. It is certainly not called plain English. Whatever the horses name is I am sure the view, looking down on us is lovely.
I suggest that when State or Federal government fund anything, they have a right to promote such – same as the DVC does (if it ever does fund anything). I also believe that when any person, business etc individually sponsor anything, they also have a right to promote. It is purely advertising for the organisation/ business/person and completely transparent. Get a grip DVC.