WACA MUSINGS II
The WACA has proposed to grant the City of Perth a 40 year peppercorn lease over valuable WACA land for the City to build and operate a pool.
The City of Perth engaged external consultants to complete its business case on the proposed 40 year pool deal and found it would be a financial disaster for the City.
As a consequence, there is a recommendation not to proceed with the pool deal for City of Perth Councillors to consider at its next Council meeting on 6 July 2021.
This is not surprising given the pool offered no on-site or nearby free parking for patrons, no indoor facility and the WACA was preventing the City of Perth from being able to operate its own gym, child care and cafe, with the WACA to exclusively supply those facilities.
Credit to the City of Perth for doing its own business case because that is a lot more than the WACA has done.
Even worse, WACA CEO Christina Matthews now seems to think one of her roles is to give away WACA land.
Ms Matthews, in response to the City of Perth’s decision said on Channel 9 evening news (see video here at 1:40) on 26 June 2021:-
“TO BE HONEST, I HAVE NEVER FOUND IT SO HARD TO GIVE AWAY LAND !”
That’s right, WACA land that was once so valuable it was going to contain dozens and dozens of apartments, the WACA CEO now wants to give away.
I find this to be a disgraceful comment because it is not the WACA CEO’s land to give away. It is owned by the Members. It is the Members’ land.
Under questioning by myself at a WACA Members only briefing on 24 March 2021, the WACA CEO, Christina Matthews and Board Chair, Tuck Waldron had no idea as to the area of land required for the pool deal or what the highest and best use for that land is.
The WACA CEO and Board Chair need to explain to WACA Members why has there never been any independent analysis and conclusion reached like the City of Perth did, as to whether the presence of a pool on a large portion of WACA land is actually either directly (as in WACA Member use of pool) or indirectly (as in revenue for the WACA) beneficial for the WACA Members ?
As for the WACA Board, they need to adopt a much closer scrutiny of its CEO and Board Chair in relation to the dealings of valuable WACA land.