TWO of the region’s mayors have hit out at the Riverina being overlooked by a federal government fund targeted at regional areas in favour of suburban projects.
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Wagga mayor Rod Kendall and his Lockhart counterpart, Peter Yates, have expressed their disappointment that projects in the outer suburbs of Melbourne and Brisbane were given a slice of the first round of the federal government’s National Stronger Regions Fund (NSRF), while the Riverina’s proposals were ignored.
“I was stunned to hear that projects were approved within the bounds of metropolitan cities when the funds are earmarked for regions,” Cr Kendall said. “The regions don’t get their share of the tax dollar spend as it is.”
Cr Yates said rural Australia “seemed to get forgotten” and called on the government to ensure regional areas were the focus of the next round of funding grants.
“We’re feeding the nation and the world as well, so I think it’s a priority to look after us,” he said.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack last week conceded it was wrong for metropolitan projects to be funded at the expense of their regional counterparts through the NSRF and has communicated that view to Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.
Wagga City Council applied for funding through the NSRF’s first round for the $3.9 million multipurpose stadium project at Bolton Park.
But Mr McCormack indicated the submission didn’t meet the fund’s criteria, that stipulate projects must have a joint contribution from the applicant, and urged council to get it right for future submissions.
Cr Kendall said he would sit down with Mr McCormack to see if the stadium’s funding bid can get over the line in round two. Applications for the next round of NSRF funding close mid-June.
“We need to look very carefully at what this criteria is in this round two and what type of projects the government is envisaging and do our best to work towards it,” he said.
Lockhart Shire Council, meanwhile, is hopeful of winning funding to improve sewerage infrastructure on the eastern side of The Rock, ahead of the construction of a new 13-allotment subdivision.
“(The funding) would be greatly appreciated and we’ve got to try and cater for the expansion of The Rock as best we can,” Cr Yates said.
