LABOR STARVES LIMESTONE COAST OF FUNDING

In another blow to the Limestone Coast following Tuesday night’s neglectful Budget, Labor has now announced the much-anticipated outcomes of its ‘Growing Regions’ program and the Limestone Coast has been left behind again.

Member for Barker, Tony Pasin MP said communities in Barker had been suffering from a Federal Government funding drought for two years due to Labor’s failure to allocate grants for much needed community infrastructure projects.

“The Labor Government in Canberra imposed a two-year funding drought on regional communities as a result of the Prime Minister’s decisions to abolish former Coalition Government programs designed to strengthen rural and regional Australia and has failed to deliver funding initiatives of their own in a timely manner,” Mr Pasin said.

“Now, a day after successful projects were intended to begin construction, Minister King announces successful applicants under the Growing Regions grant program and it has completely neglected the Limestone Coast,” Mr Pasin said.

Mr Pasin said numerous organisations across Barker had worked hard to develop proposals for Commonwealth funding but had been left waiting for months to hear the outcome of their application.

The Mount Gambier Saleyards redevelopment, Don Mosley Park upgrades in Keith, Ryder Cheshire and Bordertown Speedway Clubrooms projects have been anxiously waiting for today’s announcement.

“The Albanese Labor Government has left the Limestone Coast behind, and Premier Peter Malinauskas and Minister Clare Scriven complete and utter failure to secure Federal funding from their Labor mates in Canberra is also staggering,” Mr Pasin said.

“Not only have State and Federal Labor failed at securing the $25 million for forestry research in the region but now they have failed to deliver Federal funding for one of the most important economic development projects in the Limestone Coast – the Mount Gambier Saleyards,” Mr Pasin said.

“The Limestone Coast is poorer under Labor,” Mr Pasin said.