Tweed MP Geoff Provest is calling on the NSW Labor Government to honour commitments made to regional NSW and roll out the next round of funding for the Stronger Country Communities Fund (SCCF).
Mr Provest said $90 million was set aside by the previous NSW Liberals/Nationals Government for Round Six of the SCCF, however applications, which in previous years commenced in August, have not yet opened and there is zero mention of this next round of funding on the SCCF website.
“The Stronger Country Communities Fund is a vital source of funding for important community projects in the Tweed Electorate,” Mr Provest said.
“In the most recent round, this fund contributed $600,000 for bus and taxi shelter upgrades in the Tweed, $154,966 for a refurbishment of the amenities at Tweed PCYC and $325,055 for the Northern Rivers Baseball Association to construct a diamond.
“I urge Premier Chris Minns and the Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, to respect the importance of this fund and the positive impact it has on communities in regional NSW and roll out the $90 million next round of funding.
“To not continue with the SCCF would be an act of contempt against the people of regional NSW and highlights the Minns Labor Government is focused only on people living in the city.”
NSW Nationals leader and Shadow Minister for Regional NSW Dugald Saunders said the Stronger Country Communities Fund was an important program that provided the infrastructure required to ensure regional communities thrive.
“This program was established by the former Coalition government in 2017, and since then has seen $660 million invested into more than 2500 projects across the bush. It’s been vitally important for regional communities,” Mr Saunders said.
“We know in some cases there are projects that simply wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the funding the former Coalition government invested into this program. If Labor walks away from the Stronger Country Communities Fund it’s letting down every regional community in NSW.”