Abbott slashes community funding in every town and city.

Nov 1, 2013

Media Release.

Anthony Albanese MP.

Tony Abbott has slashed grants for community infrastructure by at least $30,000 per local council.
Regional Development Australia Fund grants, worth up to $2 million for larger councils, were designed to fund community facilities like swimming pools, sporting fields and child care centres.
About $150 million in grants under Round Five had been approved by the previous Labor Government. Each was worth at least $30,000.
But Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss has confirmed the Coalition will renege on grants unless councils have already signed contracts to begin work.
Mr Truss confirmed the Coalition Government would honour signed contracts, but would treat non-contracted Labor announcements as election promises that did not bind an alternative government to them.
• ‘Sports precinct upgrade cash not coming’, mmg.com.au, 25 October 2013
http://www.mmg.com.au/local-news/shepparton/sports-precinct-upgrade-cash-not-coming-1.61047
This program was designed to improve community facilities in regional areas and stimulate local economies, thereby supporting existing employment and creating new jobs.
Mr Abbott and Mr Truss have been in office for only a few weeks but they are already destroying jobs and short-changing regions.
This is despite their pre-election promises of “no surprises’’ and no cuts that would destroy jobs.
Whether it is a swimming pool, footy oval or a community centre upgrade, every cut hurts our community.
The RDAF Round 5 grants were announced in June 2013 and funded in the 2013-14 budget. (See page 37 at the link below.)
http://www.regional.gov.au/department/statements/2013-14/portfolio-budget-statements/pdf/DRALGAS_PBS_1314FY.pdf
Despite this, Mr Truss has attempted to mislead Australians by claiming the money does “not exist’’.
It is bad enough that Mr Truss won’t stand up for regional communities, but he is also attempting to mislead people to conceal the Coalition’s mania for spending cuts regardless of the social and economic consequences.
MAJOR CUTS BY STATE*
NSW
Blacktown City Council
Blacktown Football Park Masterplan Construction
$1,507,100
Newcastle City Council
Merewether Baths Pavilion and Public Domain Improvement
$1,053,100
Wagga Wagga City Council
Multi Purpose Stadium Project
$668,800
QLD
Townsville City Council
Tony Ireland Stadium scoreboard project
$438,000
Logan City Council
Waterford West District Sports Park
$560,000
WA
Shire of Derby West Kimberley
Derby Export Facility Enhancement Project
$374,300
City of Stirling
Stirling Community Mens Shed Expansion
$331, 000
VIC
Greater Bendigo City Council
Bendigo Botanic Gardens Expansion
$1 million
Yarra Ranges Shire Council
Japara Living and Learning Centre
$1 million
SA
City of Salisbury
City Centre Renewal
$570,700
City of Onkaparinga
Aldinga District Centre Main Street & Town Square Upgrade
$487,600
TAS
Launceston City Council
Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association Ground Facilities Development
$127,600
Devonport City Council
Replacement of the Devonport Aquatic Centre Waterslide
$89,000
NT
Darwin City Council
Jingili Water Gardens Skate Park redevelopment
$136, 300
Barkly Shire Council
Elliot Sporting Oval construction
$124,000
ACT
ACT Government
Childcare Centre upgrades
$2.4 million
ACT Government
Manuka Oval upgrade
$1.6 million

* Based on grants for which contacts had not been signed as at the September 7 election.