Unfortunately, Gosnells Council have decided to scrap the Indoor Pool at Sutherlands Park. 

The Council has decided not to build a $35 million Indoor Pool now with the $35 million funds available now (and as a result of the Council decision) the Indoor Pool will now not go ahead at all. 

The Council has discussed this project for over 10 years and if it is not done now with the available $35 million – it will never be done. The Council delays have cost the community another two years with no Indoor Pool. 

We will not walk away from the Gosnells and Southern River community and we will use the WA Govt $2 million funds for the Outdoor Splash Pad – this allows the Mayor’s Promise of an Aquatic Facility to be delivered. 

The Council was set a deadline – one year from the March 2025 WA election (when all of the available funds were confirmed), and Council requested an extension of three months – but now the Council still proposes more delays. 

We also now know there is no amount that my Liberal opponents on Council will accept for the Indoor Pool, my opponents will just keep saying its not enough. 

The $2 million was -a fair share of funding and was to get Stage 1 (Indoor Pool) advanced within a year and my offer has always been to advocate for more funds for the Outdoor Pool (Stage 2) and Basketball Courts (Stage 3). The WA Govt $2 million is available to be spent now on the Council Indoor Pool but as the Council timeline extends now beyond 2029 the funds will now be spent on the Outdoor Splash pad next to the Youth Plaza.  

I have a lot of time for Mayor Lynes, however her decision (as a person who nominated for the Liberals for Southern River in 2021) to do Liberal campaign videos congratulating the Liberals 2025 candidate for $0 for the Indoor Pool shows $ was never the issue. I acknowledge Mayor Lynes has now quit the Liberals but the damage is done and their position won’t change in the future.  

I will admit I was naive and trusted the Council would build the Indoor Pool as promised but I will not trust the Liberals on Council again over the Indoor Pool.  

This was never about trying to get more State or Federal funds – the Council asked Matt Keogh for $10 million for Sutherlands Park and he delivered on this. That Thriving Suburbs grant will be spent on two new buildings at Sutherland Park. 

The same Liberal Crs also endorsed the 2019 Federal Liberals allocating the $20 million for this Indoor Pool to South Perth Council and opposed Matt Keoghs $10 million Thriving Suburbs for Sutherland Park.  

As residents know, Armadale Council received $1 million from the WA Govt for their $26 million Pool recently. This WA Govt $2 million was for the Indoor Pool and there was more to come for Stage 2 (Outdoor pool) and Stage 3 (Basketball court). This $2 million was also higher than the WA Govt contribution for the Thornlie Pool 30 years ago. The WA Govt also recently gave $1.5 million for the Langford Indoor Netball Court. The $35 million (a version of what Armadale Pool built) would have been a World class facility and also simple in that the Indoor Pool was four walls, three pools and facilities, but the Council will now not do this at all. 

Gosnells Cr LLoyd disclosed at the 14/7/26 OCM that at least $250,000 has been spent on the 2024 "Retail needs report", as well as travel to the eastern states to view Pools and the purchase of promotional Council Ipads / "video in a box" and an AI video of a pool.  

That $250k should have been spent on the actual build costs and detailed design.  

The Council has suggested spending $250,000 on another feasibility report (and the Council has now disclosed at the OCM 14/7/26 that the 2024 report was only a Retail assessment (for physio / café opportunities). Given the above, I can not support another feasibility study. 

The Council will now need to hear from residents how they want to have the $33 million returned to ratepayers in Canning Vale, Gosnells, Huntingdale and Southern River. As the Indoor Pool is now not going to proceed, and the funds were collected from those four Suburbs – it is fair the Council advise how they will refund those amounts to ratepayers (or a discount on their rates)