‘Perth Arena had started as a $130m project but eventually came in at $550m’

THE Fremantle Dockers’ planned move to Cockburn has hit a speed bump, with the council getting cold feet about the $113 million business plan.

Last week Cockburn council voted to defer approval of the plan, deciding to give it first to professional accountants.

Cr Bart Houwen reminded colleagues that Perth Arena had started as a $130 million project but eventually came in at $550m.

He said it was a “major concern” that elected members had only been given a “46-page draft [of the plan] in an agenda of 991 [pages] only a week before the meeting”, and that more expert scrutiny was required.

The council and the AFL club signed a heads-of-agreement late last year that will—assuming it goes off without a hitch—see the Dockers shift their HQ and training from Fremantle Oval to a purpose-built stadium at Cockburn Central.

Cr Steve Portelli wanted to sign on the spot, saying council staff could be trusted to keep elected members in the loop.

“It’s great to be diligent and ask the hard questions, but when you ask a question that has been already answered by way of briefing and documentation, it causes me some angst,” he said.

“I suppose it may be that they were too busy or missed a briefing, so I can’t get too angry.

“I am confident that the city of Cockburn and the Fremantle Dockers will, from the economics of scale, provide an even better facility than that was proposed if we had gone our separate ways.”

Keep Freo in Freo campaigner Chris Lewis says Cockburn ratepayers should be concerned their council is rushing to get the plan ticked off by next month.

“Ninety days is normally an industry minimum for serious due diligence,” the retired business consultant told the Herald.

“This is setting the scene for another inquiry into Cockburn processes.”

by BRENDAN FOSTER