Funding not yet secured for Shire of Coolgardie’s $164 million workers’ accommodation camp at Kambalda

The Shire of Coolgardie has not yet secured the $164 million it is seeking from “external funding sources” to build a 1500-room workers’ accommodation camp at Kambalda. Confirmation on whether the project will go ahead is expected in mid-November. The project was discussed at a special council meeting in August. In an agenda report, chief executive James Trail said the shire would not be borrowing any funds for the project, with construction to be paid for by “external funding sources”. Mr Trail said financial modelling showed the proposed 1500-room village would generate sufficient funds to cover operating costs, leverage additional investment funds and provide a “significant dividend to future-proof the community”. At a project update community information session at the Kambalda Community Recreation Facility on Tuesday, Mr Trail told the Kalgoorlie Miner the external funding sources “had not been agreed on yet”. “It hasn’t been decided on and that’s obviously commercial in confidence because the camp may not happen,” he said. Mr Trail said he understood people wanted transparency but the commercial in confidence situation had to be honoured. “I could completely understand if we’re spending a lot of ratepayers’ money, then I can understand that. But if someone’s funding that and they’re going to be paying for that, then obviously they want their commercial identity and things that come to council protected, because it’s commercial in confidence,” he said. Mr Trail said public submissions were open and would be considered by the council when adopting the business plan. “We’d have a better idea about whether something is going to go ahead or not probably (by) mid-November. So probably by mid-November, the shire would know whether there’s somebody interested in developing that,” he said. Mr Trail said Tuesday’s community information session aimed to answer questions and provide information to community members in a “less structured format” than council meetings. “This gives them the opportunity to look at all the fantastic things that are that are going on, and what the revenue and rates and money being raised for by the council is going towards,” he said. Multiple projects which are currently being developed or in the pipeline were on display during the day, aiming to show the community “that all the extra revenue that can be gained” from workers’ accommodation camps, the airport development and waste facility would go towards developing the town. “So the whole idea of having the councillors here is that they can ask questions and we can provide them with information that we’ve got,” Mr Trail said. “I know a lot of people, for instance, with the village or 1500-person camp want to know a whole lot of details. It’s only conceptual, it’s not even designed, it hasn’t been approved, it hasn’t been signed off on.” Mr Trail told the Kalgoorlie Miner he hoped when the 200-person village currently being built was finished, mine workers living in town would consider going to the village, which would free up space for a family. “So hopefully that will be the impact of the workers’ accommodation and any workers’ accommodation that’s happening,” he said. When asked about the shire’s vision for the town, Mr Trail said the shire was trying to generate other revenue sources which would “future proof” the community for the next five to 10 years to continue to produce medical services, parks and gardens and others services. “If we don’t have other revenue, we can’t just rely on rates because we only put rates up 2 or 3 per cent and costs are going up at 7 or 8 per cent. So there’s a real challenge going on,” he said. “Hopefully the council’s able to take the community on the journey as to why they’re doing those things ... I don’t think they’re always going to agree with all the different projects. People have different views or opinions. “But if they can see why the council is trying to do it and why we’re trying to do that, hopefully that may make a difference for some people understanding why we’re trying to do things.”