Euro-pork-dalla is beginning to smell

How does the Mayor and her councillors feel about their council's name being reported on across the country in relation to the $177 million pork barrelling of Bushfire money. First there was this in MichaelWestMedia

The walking trail is not shovel ready. in any shape or form. It is embarrassing to think that an area like the Blue Mountains missed out on the funding with over 20 shovel ready projects. This is from today's Guardian "Pork barrelling is 'what elections are for': John Barilaro defends bushfire grants"

Read that closely “The Blue Mountains did actually lodge [applications] but they didn’t meet the criteria." Eurobodalla did not, as confirmed by the general manager, lodge an application. Read this bit closely “The projects weren’t ready under the criteria that they had to be able to be completed within six months or started within six months ... [with] a million-dollar minimum threshold. The 33km walking track hasn't been through public consultation. The Gondwana Concept plan is just a thought bubble document to be put to the community. The project did not justify being fast-tracked as it was not industry associated (as required) and would not contribute to retaining employees. The project would also have failed scrutiny if it had gone through the second round of applications. It just isn't ready and won't be for a long time to come unless Council changes its priorities. Surely there was some secret discussions about this project otherwise why would the general manager say "the Government was aware of this project" as a justification for receiving $5.3 million for the project. First it was $8 million for the Mackay Park Arts wing followed by $25 million for the pool project. Pork barrelled with not need for scrutiny of any business case. Now, a figure plucked from no-where for a ten year old thought-bubble project that had an estimated budget of $3 million. Really????