He says if he is elected on Saturday one of his first moves will be to call on the planning minister to put the planning of The Lookout residential rehabilitation centre on hold until the college is investigated. It is currently proposed to be located at Atkinsons Road, Dennington, which has drawn the ire of the town’s residents. 

Mr Neoh said he 100 per cent supported a rehab centre in the region. 

“The reason I have become involved from a state perspective is because many members of the Dennington community have come to me as a candidate aggrieved,” he said.

He said the former Glenormiston College site would be suitable as it would reduce capital expenditure, and that money could be spent on rehabilitation programs.

“From a long-term planning point of view and based on other rehab models the Dennington site is too constrained in terms of expansion, services and space for productive activity, including primary farming activity and recreation,” he said.

“People who are saying it is in the wrong spot support a rehab centre but in the right spot. They have offered to fund-raise for it in the right spot. The other factor is the clients will have productive projects which could include maintaining the grounds, working in the vegetable garden and completing facility maintenance.”

Mr Neoh said the best location would be where a facility could expand over time.

“There's no town water, no town sewerage and most of the successful models of residential rehab are on the outskirts of built up areas where there is farming land where people can do farming activities,” he said. “At Dennington it’s a rocky outcrop where nothing will grow according to the locals. It's just wind swept land.” 

He said Glenormiston offered a fully set up farm, plenty of areas for people to relax, a dormitory and lecture theatres.

“The big advantage is they can then put all the fundraising money into programs, and spend the money on what people want, which is services,” he said.