CLP candidate for Wanguri Rhianna Harker, Business Minister Peter Chandler, Health Minister Dave Tollner (in background) and club president Paul Goggin at Tracy Village Sports Club for the funding announcement. Picture: PATRINA MALONE
From the NT News
THE sports club that was handed a $100,000 “support package” by the Government one week before a by-election, made $4.3 million on poker machines last financial year.
Independent MLA Gerry Wood said the NT Licensing Commission annual report showed poker machine profits at Tracy Village Sports and Social Club were up from $3.9 million in 2010-11.
“It has 45 poker machines,” he said.
Mr Wood asked Chief Minister Terry Mills if he agreed with his CLP colleague Kezia Purick that the Government was putting a sports club that did not need the money ahead of a rural fire service in Humpty Doo that had its funding cut.
Mr Mills said there had been “a real need” at Tracy Village and the Government had responded.
Nhulunbuy MLA Lynne Walker asked if the Arnhem Club could have $100,000 because they were “going through difficult times”.”
Nightcliff MLA Natasha Fyles asked when the CLP would honour its election promise to fund a feasibility study to upgrade the Nightcliff Sports Club oval.
But Mr Mills fought back.
“It’s obviously stirred a hornet’s nest out there of unrequited need that has not been actually expressed to anybody except across the chamber,” he said.
“It sounds like some kind of distorted jealousy.”
Tracy Village is in Wanguri, where a by-election will be held on Saturday.
The story was previously covered by The Tourism News here.
