MP confirms pool set for Kalumburu

Report from the Kimberley Echo's Peter Dr Kruijiff

Using $7 million in government funding to build a swimming pool in Kalumburu is back on as the preferred option for the remote northern community.

WA Member for the Kimberley Josie Farrer travelled to Kalumburu late last month after media reports of the community wanting a water park instead of a new pool.

Money for the pool had been allocated in the recent State Budget and was one of Ms Farrer's and Labor's election commitments.

Ms Farrer travelled to the community with Royal Life Saving WA community relations general manager Greg Tate to meet with community representatives like members of the women's council.

She said she stressed to community leaders money had been earmarked for a pool and not a water park and money not spent on the former would have to be returned to the government.

"The community asked about a swimming pool way back in 2014," Ms Farrer said. "They talked about a (need for a) pool then and their concerns for little ones, who'd been lost in drownings.

"We've got to give these people what they need. A swimming pool provides a whole lot of health benefits for kids."

Ms Farrer said she worked through the concerns community members had with a pool and explained having a water park would be costly for maintenance.

She said questions included who would maintain the pool and if there would be local jobs.

Ms Farrer said Royal Life Saving WA would help run the pool and would train four community members, two men and two women, to work there.

The State allocated $14 million to Kalumburu and Balgo to build new swimming pools.

A further $590,000 was allocated to Kununurra for a water park, which has been given to the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley to progress the project.

Find out more about the benefits our Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools provide for communities across remote WA at the link below.