A significant investment package sees the 2021-22 Budget continue to build a strong regional Australia through extensions to community grants programs that invest directly in economic and social infrastructure.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the NSW Nationals in the federal government were committed to creating jobs and building stronger regional communities.
“This Budget’s investment in our regions is headlined by an additional $250 million for a sixth round of the successful Building Better Regions Fund,” Mr McCormack said.
“This builds on more than $1 billion already committed to our regional towns and cities from the Fund, which supports regional and remote communities by funding investment-ready infrastructure projects that will create jobs and drive economic growth.
“We are building strong and resilient communities, as well as helping create local jobs, by investing in projects across Australia which drive our regional economies.”
The Government will also provide more than $5.7 million of grant funding in the 2021-22 Budget to deliver a new Rebuilding Regional Communities Program in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
This program will provide micro-grants to grassroots community organisations to assist communities in their recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community groups play a critical role in supporting and sustaining local regional communities and these grants will help local groups restart activities and avoid lasting loss to the social fabric of regional towns.
The regions will also heavily benefit from the Government’s now $3 billion Road Safety Program, aimed squarely at delivering lifesaving road safety treatments on rural and regional roads and providing better protections for vulnerable road users.
For more information on regional investments in the 2021-22 Federal Budget, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/statements/index.aspx.
