Federal Budget to unlock potential in New England

09 May 2017

 

•The Federal Budget will deliver new investment and growth opportunities in the New England Electorate

•Investment will support the region's economy, allowing local business owners to get goods to market quicker.

 

Residents and business owners in the New England Electorate will have new employment and investment opportunities following the Australian Government's Budget announcement on infrastructure investment.

 

The Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the Coalition Government is committing infrastructure funding to ensure our children and grandchildren will benefit in years to come.

 

"Highlights of this year's Budget include a $20 billion investment in regional and urban rail, a $1.6 billion road and rail infrastructure package for Western Australia, $844 million investment for new projects on the Bruce Highway, and up to a $5.3 billion equity investment toward the delivery of the Western Sydney Airport," Mr Joyce said.

 

"I am particularly pleased to see the $8.4 billion investment for the delivery of the once in a generation Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project, which will connect regional Australia with both domestic and global markets.

 

"The Budget will see funding committed to a range of local infrastructure projects such as the $55 million New England Highway-Bolivia Hill Realignment, $10 million towards the New England Highway-Tenterfield Heavy Vehicle Bypass, $10 million to upgrade the Liverpool Plains Regional Water Supply, $3.5 million for the upgrade of the Jewry Street Bridge in Tamworth and $12 million towards the Mt Lindesay Road -Legume to Woodenbong.”

 

"This goes hand-in-hand with projects soon or already underway, such as the $65 million delivered for the Scone Bypass, $5.4 million for the MR358 road between Merriwa and Willow Tree and the $1.56 million for the Appleby Lane upgrade in Tamworth.”

 

More than $16.7 million has also been committed for Roads to Recovery projects across the 10 councils in the New England Electorate. These include:

 

  • Armidale Regional Council ($2.16 million);

  • Glen Innes Severn Council ($1.2 million);

  • Gwydir Shire Council ($1.77 million);

  • Inverell Shire Council ($1.8 million);

  • Liverpool Plains Shire Council ($1.2 million);

  • Tamworth Regional Council ($3.6 million);

  • Tenterfield Shire Council ($1.4 million);

  • Upper Hunter Shire Council ($1.7 million)

  • Uralla Shire Council ($859,565); and

  • Walcha Council ($814,440).

Other Budget commitments in the New England Electorate include:

 

  • $1.5 million for the Tingha -Bundarra Road and Gwydir Highway Intersection;

  • Ongoing funding for the $500,000 federal contribution to the upgrade of the Youth Accommodation and Support Centre at Armidale and Glen Innes;

  • $8.5 million for the Northern Inland Centre of Sporting Excellence;

  • $2 million for the Tamworth ILS;

  • $2.1 million for bridge replacements, including Tenterden Road Bridge in Guyra Shire ($530,000); Rimbanda Bridge ($82,500) and Swamp Creek Bridge ($190,850) in Tamworth Regional Council; Middlebrook Bridge in Upper Hunter Shire Council ($1.16 million) and Flags Niangala Bridge in Walcha Council ($152,500).

 

"I know many people in Tenterfield plus those working in the transport industry who travel up and down the New England Highway will be particularly pleased to see funding announced for the Tenterfield Bypass. It has been a project the community has wanted to see for a long time, and it is great new funding has been available for the coming year."

 

This Budget is a transformational next step in the Coalition Government's record investment in infrastructure - improving connectivity, productivity, and liveability in our cities and regions.

 

For more information on 2017-18 Budget measures, visit: www.budget.gov.au

 

For other projects being delivered in your region, visit: http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/

 

 (ENDS)

 

 

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