More Money For Upper Hunter Roads and Infrastructure

THE Australian Government has issued a further $12.1 million to local Councils in the New England division for shovel-ready roadwork and infrastructure projects, with the Upper Hunter set to receive more than $1.1 million.

See New England funding allocations below

The extra funding is part of a $1 billion boost for the nationwide Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program Extension.

Initial funding of $11.8 million was made available to New England Council’s from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 and the additional funding will be available until December 30, 2021.

Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the extension will support jobs and help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In this one funding program alone, we are now delivering almost $24 million in combined grants to local councils in the New England for immediate infrastructure projects in the electorate,” Mr Joyce said.

“Of course the Federal Government has a responsibility to balance expenditure with the cost to the economy, but it also has a responsibility to local communities and the people within,” he said.

“That’s why infrastructure spending like this is so important because it means more money in our towns, more local people in work and a better standard of living for you and your family here in the New England,” he said.

Road length and population size were taken into account to determine funding allocations for each Council.

Additional allocations under LRCI extension:

• Armidale Regional Council – $1,762,217 (Total $3,191,918);
• Glen Innes Severn Council – $814,810 (Total $1,687,239);
• Inverell Shire Council – $1,378,688 (Total $2,780,743);
• Liverpool Plains Shire Council – $785,593 (Total $1,652,365);
• Tamworth Regional Council – $3,412,360 (Total $6,064,893);
• Tenterfield Shire Council – $869,559 (Total $1,913,894);
• Upper Hunter Shire Council – $1,193,037 (Total $2,423,471);
• Uralla Shire Council – $555,440 (Total $1,151,546);
• Walcha Council – $476,914 ($1,068,710);
• Gwydir Shire Council – $928,863 (Total $2,111,087).