Shadow Special Minister of State, Chris Hartcher, today warned community groups of the disingenuous barrel of pork heading their way, cunningly referred to by Nathan Rees as the ‘Community Building Partnership’ .

“There’s nothing ‘community’ about it,” said Mr Hartcher said.

“This is a shameless pork-barrelling exercise by a Premier and a Government totally devoid of ideas.

“They’ve tried every smoke and mirrors trick in the book and they have nothing left. Now their just going to try and buy votes outright.

“There’s nothing ‘building’ about it either.

“At approximately $7 per man woman and child in NSW it has to be about the cheapest and most pathetic investment fund in human history.

“It’s a pork-barrel, but like every other weapon in Rees’ impotent arsenal; it’s not a very good one.

“Most community centres cost well in excess of $300,000 – the amount set aside for each electorate. Most decent sporting fields cost 3 times that.

“Labor marginal seats get $400,000 each – little bit extra to help woefully unpopular Labor members buy a few extra votes.

“Labor backbenchers will be furious; they have to face the electorate in 2011 with nothing to sell but Rees’ hopeless Government and all they get in return is the chance to stick their plaque to a new park bench.

“And there’s certainly nothing ‘partnership’ about it.

“Local Councils have been told they will be required to contribute to projects.

“It means that areas with Councils already struggling under the weight of Nathan Rees’

cost-shifting policies will not be able to apply for any funding at all,” Mr Hartcher said.