$11.6 million boost for Councils

Councils in my electorate are set to share the spoils of an $11,606,021 boost from the Morrison Liberal National Government as part of $1.8 billion in funding for road and community projects to be delivered through local governments across Australia.

The package includes the establishment of a new $500 million Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program and the bringing forward of $1.3 billion of the 2020-21 Financial Assistance Grant payment.

Providing a funding injection for local infrastructure projects through our councils will support local jobs and boost our economy as we work through the recovery period from the COVID-19 restrictions.

The focus of the new Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI) will be upgrades and maintenance to local roads and community infrastructure, and I will work with the three councils on what they’d like to invest in to make sure projects get under way to support jobs and businesses as soon as possible.

Funding allocations are as follows:

Mackay Regional Council will receive $1,956,590 in LRCI funding, and will also have their 2020-21 Financial Assistance Grants funding allocation of $3,235,793 brought forward.

Whitsunday Regional Council will receive $1,050,537 in LRCI funding, and will also have their 2020-21 Financial Assistance Grants funding allocation of $2,861,034 brought forward.

Burdekin Council will receive $620,261 in LRCI funding, and will also have their 2020-21 Financial Assistance Grants funding allocation of $1,881,806 brought forward.

Guidelines for the Program will be provided directly to local governments by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Allocations under the Financial Assistance Grant and Local Road and Community Infrastructure programs can be found at https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/lrci.