Investing in Dawson

MAY 4, 2016: THE Dawson electorate will benefit from a significant infrastructure boost in the 2016-17 financial year, with $43.6 million allocated for specific projects in the region, and that's in addition to any Federal funding which will flow for the $448 million we are investing into the Mackay Ring Road.The electorate will also receive its fair share of a further $6.4 billion across a range of infrastructure initiatives, including the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.This demonstrates the Liberal National Government’s commitment to regional communities, outlined in last night’s Federal Budget.The funding is about boosting connectivity, building critical infrastructure, supporting innovation and fostering local leadership to support regional communities in Dawson.This is all about building stronger and more liveable regional communities through providing better infrastructure including transport links and digital networks, more support for our rural health workforce and better access to health care.Almost 400 measures that support Dawson across health, education, employment, defence, infrastructure, telecommunications, agriculture and water resources and other portfolios were contained in the 2016–17 Regional Ministerial Statement released with last night’s budget.Spending on infrastructure in Dawson alone for the 2016-17 financial year amounts to more than $43.6 million and that’s without factoring in work that will begin on Stage 1 of the Mackay Ring Road.This includes funding for the Bruce Highway Safety Package, overtaking lanes, black spot funding and such projects as the Sandy Gully Bridge, Yellow Gin Creek and Burdekin Bridge upgrades.There’s spending on big projects like the $9.5million in Roads to Recovery spending, as well as small projects such as those eligible for Stronger Communities Grants.Key initiatives in Regional Development, Regional Communications and Rural Health:

• The listing of The Retinal Photography of non-Mydriatic Cameras measure on the Medicare Benefits Schedule to cover the testing of diabetic retinopathy disease with a non-mydriatic camera.
• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine- Independent Pathway to Fellowship will enable general practice registrars training on the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Independent Pathway to claim Medicare benefits for the services they provide in rural and regional areas whilst training.
• Rural General Practice Grants Program will improve rural health services by redesigning Rural and Regional Teaching Infrastructure Grants Program, in order to create a more streamlined Program.
• Providing $73.6 million over four years for the network of 55 Regional Development Australia Committees (RDAs), to foster and strengthen local leadership across regional communities.