What’s in the budget for the Mid North Coast?
Unless you are living under a rock – and maybe not even then with the massive push on the development of infrastructure throughout Australia, you’ll have heard at least a little about the Federal Government’s 2017 budget which was released on Tuesday 9 May.
The Regional Australia Institute describes the budget as being all about ‘new money for trains and economic transitions’ for regional Australia.
Some key points of interest for the Mid North Coast include:
- Extension of funding for the Building Better Regions Fund and Regional Development Australia Committees.
- $472M Regional Growth Fund to boost regional economies
- $200M Building Better Regions Fund
- $220M Regional Jobs and Investment Package supports the Australian Government’s commitment to stimulate economic growth and create jobs in ten pilot regions including the NSW North Coast ($25M)
- $24M to rural and regional enterprise scholarships program
- $22.5M to deliver 3rd round of the Stronger Communities Program (SPC) (National) – $150K available to each Federal Electorate in 2017-2018 Applicants will be able to seek a grant of at least $5000 and up to a maximum of $20 000 and will be required to match the SPC in cash or in kind on at lease dollar for dollar basis
- $55.7M to enable employment in Indigenous communities
- $50M to establish a research fund to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment and health
- $9M to improve tele-health services to enhance access to mental health services for regional Australians
Continuation of the following:
- Roads to Recovery ($4B 2013-2014 to 2019-2020)
- Black Spot projects($624.5M 2013-2014 to 2019-2020)
- Bridges Renewal Programme ($360M 2015-2016 to 2019-2020)
Want more?
Budget 2017-18 (Federal Government) HERE
Federal Budget 2017 winners and losers (ABC) HERE
Budget insight – Annabel Crabb (ABC) HERE
Transcript 2017 budget speech (Gizmodo) HERE
Regional Australia Institute overview HERE
(image from www.mozo.com.au)