Budget Investments Deliver Real Benefits to Eden-Monaro

May 13, 2008

Mike Kelly says budget investments deliver real benefits to Eden-Monaro communities

Announcing initial spending of about $37 million on promises made during the election campaign and $6.35 million for local roads across Eden-Monaro, Federal Member Mike Kelly, highlighted that Labor was “a Government for all Australians”.

Mike Kelly, Member for Eden-Monaro

Dr Kelly announced initial 2008-09 funding of:

• $188,000 to upgrade the Bega recreation ground;
• $1 million to start planning the Bega bypass;
• $3.3 million for Braidwood sewerage replacement;
• $260,000 for the Braidwood Regional Arts Centre;
• $120,000 for upgrading the change rooms at Bungendore Swimming Pool and Mick Sherd Oval;
• $525,000 to upgrade the Cooma pool;
• $650,000 for the Jindabyne Oval upgrade;
• $23.3 million Kings Highway upgrade between Bungendore and Queanbeyan;
• $200,000 to upgrade Merimbula Jetty;
• $90,000 for additional work on the Pambula Surf Club;
• $350,000 for the Capital Region Business Enterprise Centre in Queanbeyan;
• $1 million for Campese Oval/Taylor Park upgrade in Queanbeyan:
• $1 million in 2008-09 for the Home in Queanbeyan with a second $1m following in next year’s budget;
• 50 new childcare places in Queanbeyan;
• $200,000 for the Tumbarumba – Wagga rail trail: and
• $40,000 to preserve the Tumbarumba pioneer women’s hut.

“The $7.5m promised for the Lanyon Drive duplication project is included in the new Auslig 2 project starting in 2009-10. NSW is contributing $8m, the Act $7.3m supported by the Federal funding. Also not starting until then is the $30m Pialligo Road project to ease congestion around the airport — because the ACT is not yet ready for the funding.

In Roads to recovery funding for Eden-Monaro’s nine councils, Dr Kelly said Bega Valley Shire would get $915,246 in 2008-09, Bombala $418,009, Cooma-Monaro $564,785, Eurobodalla (includes part of Gilmore Electorate that is within Eurobodalla Shire) $1,263,029, Palerang (includes the Wamboin/Bywong/Sutton areas of Palerang that are in the Hume electorate) $748,297, Queanbeyan $711,343, Snowy River $616,764, Tumbarumba $557,556 and Tumut $560,219.

“As well, Eden-Monaro will receive a share of ‘black spot projects’ to target those road locations where crashes are occurring, which across NSW will total $15.29 million next year.

The work involves funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations to reduce the risk of crashes.”

Emphasising the Government was delivering on commitments to regional Australia, Dr Kelly said the Government’s efforts for the bush are about building a strong economy through responsible economic management.

“It focuses around the $2.2 billion provided for the Caring for Our Country Program,” Dr Kelly said. “This will provide a new coordinated approach to environmental management and to strengthen the role of farmers in the delivery of environmental services.”

Other rural initiatives include $760m for ongoing support for Exceptional Circumstance-declared areas in 2008-09, $130m over four years for Australia’s Farming Future initiative and $35m for the Regional Food Producers Innovation and Productivity Program.

There’s also $20m to help Australia’s forest industries to prepare for the future, including coping with climate change and the skills shortage ($20m) and providing $15.3m in new measures to reduce the impact of weeds.

This latter figure includes Mike Kelly’s $300,000 Eden-Monaro initiative for the National Eradication of Fireweed project. The $15 million is to set up to fund the National Weeds and Productivity Project.

“We also are setting a new direction for strengthening regional Australia to deliver better services and investment in infrastructure to help communities grow and prosper,” Dr Kelly said. “Eden-Monaro families will benefit from many of the other initiatives in the 2008-09 Budget,” Dr Kelly said.

“Families will see that this budget helps working families cope with day-to-day cost of living pressures through its $55 billion Working Families Support Package. Initiatives include cutting income tax, reducing the costs of educating and looking after children, making housing more affordable, providing a teen dental plan and making sure that grocery and petrol prices are competitive.

“Money has been provided for GP SuperClinics over the next four financial years, including $5m for Queanbeyan SuperClinic.

“Older Australians and carers will benefit from $2.4 billion in additional support next year and a lot of that help will flow into Eden-Monaro. We’re investing $5.9 billion over five years in the Education Revolution with initiatives in the areas of early childhood education, schools, vocational training and higher education.

“We have plans as well to spend $2.3 billion over five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Eden-Monaro I’ve set a target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2020.”