November 9, 2025
The District Council of Coober Pedy has confirmed it will no longer be funding Coober Pedy Together (CPT) — a decision that comes as welcome news to the overwhelming majority of ratepayers who objected to footing the bill for what many viewed as an out-of-touch and divisive experiment in “community facilitation.”
For several years, ratepayer funds have supported a fly-in, fly-out facilitator leading the CPT group — a facilitator who has been widely criticised for being disconnected from the day-to-day realities of the town. The council’s defunding effectively ends an arrangement that saw approximately $80,000 a year flow to one individual under the guise of “community engagement.”
To most residents, this decision marks a long-awaited correction and a victory for ratepayer accountability.
“Financial Support” or Wordplay?
In its recent public statement, CPT thanked the council for “financial support over the past few years,” but the phrasing raises more questions than it answers.
If, as the community has always understood, the only council expenditure connected to CPT was the facilitator’s contract, then this so-called “financial support” was simply a wage for one person — not funding for a community organisation.
The statement’s wording — that CPT will “no longer receive ongoing financial support from the District Council” — implies that other funds may have been flowing beyond the facilitator contract.
If so, the public deserves transparency. Were there additional payments or in-kind support made to this group? If not, then the phrase stands as yet another example of the careful wordsmithing that has typified CPT communications since inception.
Ratepayers have a right to know whether the council has, in fact, provided more than just the facilitator’s salary — and if so, what exactly was funded and on whose authority.
The Question of Privilege
While CPT now claims to be an “independent incorporated association,” its ties to council remain far from clear. The group still features prominently on the District Council’s website, enjoying visibility and endorsement not extended to other not-for-profit groups in Coober Pedy.
The facilitator, by all accounts, continues to use office space inside the council chambers, with presumed access to phones, photocopiers, and other council resources. If the group is now “independent,” will that privileged access end?
If not, will the council extend the same benefits to all community organisations — or is CPT still receiving special treatment?
Constitution and Credibility
CPT’s statement also boasted of having a “relevant constitution” — a claim already debunked in earlier reporting, which revealed the document to be riddled with inconsistencies and non-compliant clauses. The group’s continued reference to it as a legitimate foundation document suggests either wilful ignorance or deliberate misrepresentation.
Further, the announcement of CPT’s inaugural AGM fails to specify a meeting time, an omission that appears more than a simple oversight. In a town where transparency is paramount, such details matter — especially from a group that has repeatedly framed itself as the voice of community inclusion.
A Record of Recycled Achievements
CPT’s published list of “highlights and achievements” reads more like a public relations exercise than a record of measurable community outcomes.
Events such as the tree-planting day and the Christmas celebration were welcome activities — but far from unique. The annual Christmas party, for example, long pre-dated CPT’s existence and was simply rebranded under new management. Granted, it was much more elaborate than the preceding events but hardly an achievement worthy of boasting about?
Meanwhile, the much-touted Governor’s visit and delegations to Adelaide generated little tangible benefit for local residents. Beyond photo opportunities and carefully worded reports, there is scant evidence of any long-term outcomes for Coober Pedy.
When weighed against the more than $400,000 of ratepayer funds channelled through the facilitator contract and related projects — including the $30,000 “drive-in disaster” — the return on investment is questionable at best.
Community’s Verdict
For many in Coober Pedy, CPT has long represented style over substance — a group more focused on branding than building.
Council’s decision to withdraw funding is, therefore, being celebrated as a long-overdue recognition of public sentiment.
But serious questions remain:
Until those answers are provided, ratepayers can take comfort in one small victory: the public funding tap has finally been turned off.