The Budget will provide an additional $23.7 million in the New England for the highly successful Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI) to deliver the local projects that matter to communities, while stimulating local economies.
Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said this was in addition to almost $24 million in in funding announced just last year for LRCI projects already being delivered by local councils in the New England.
Projects such as upgrades to the Guyra Community Precinct, Inverell Sports Complex, Quirindi Library, Merriwa Driver Reviver facility and extensive road improvements throughout the electorate.
“We now have more than $47 million worth of infrastructure projects to be delivered across the New England under this program alone,” Mr Joyce said.
“These developments are helping to keep local people in work, invest new money into town economies and deliver long-lasting legacies with the construction of new facilities for communities to enjoy for generations to come.”
The 2021 Budget will deliver $1 billion in additional funding for the LRCI program across the country, now a $2.5 billion program, and estimated to support about 3,500 jobs, taking the total jobs supported by the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program to about 9,000.
Additionally, the Coalition Government will commit a further $250 million for a sixth round of the successful Building Better Regions Fund, which builds on more than $1 billion already committed to our regional towns and cities from the Fund.
Projects in the New England to benefit from this fund include upgrades to livestock selling facilities in Scone and Inverell, a new regional netball facility at Glen Innes as well as funding toward the Tamworth Rail Intermodal Activation Plan and an upgrade of Tenterfield’s water treatment plant.
An additional $28.2 million is also being provided in the 2021 Budget to extend the Stronger Communities Programme, which provides grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 across the country to community organisations and local governments for small capital projects that deliver social benefits for local communities.
Under the $22.65 million Round 5 of the SCP, each federal electorate received $150,000 to allocate towards successful projects which in the New England included projects such as equipment upgrades at Tenterfield Pony Club and restoration of Nundle and Ben Lomond War Memorial halls.
Round 3 LRCI funding allocations announced in 2021 Budget:
Tamworth Regional Council $5,305,066
Armidale Regional Council $2,859,402
Liverpool Plains Shire Council $1,733,544
Upper Hunter Shire Council $2,460,868
Walcha Council $1,183,592
Inverell Shire Council $2,804,110
Glen Innes Severn Council $1,744,858
Gwydir Shire Council $2,364,448
Tenterfield Shire Council $2,088,670
Uralla Shire Council $1,192,213
Total round 3 funding New England: $23.7 million
Total LRCI funding for rounds 1-3 in New England: $47.7 million
(ENDS)