Saffin continues to help NSW North Coast bring home the regional development dollars

Media release Friday, 4 March 2011:

Saffin urges councils to fine tune community projects for RDA-NR

PAGE MP Janelle Saffin has urged local councils and organisations to start fine tuning community projects to maximise their chances of winning a share of the Australian Government’s $1.4-billion Regional Development Australia Fund.

Ms Saffin has welcomed Federal Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean’s announcement that the Regional Development Australia Fund was open for business and was receiving applications for the first allocation of funding from July 1 this year.

Mr Crean yesterday in Canberra told Regional Development Australia-Northern Rivers (RDA-NR) Chair Ian Tiley that only applications that had the backing of his RDA committee would be considered in a competitive, merit-based assessment process.

Ms Saffin said this meant local councils and organisations needed to clearly demonstrate that projects would boost economic development, create local jobs and lift the quality of life in local communities across the Northern Rivers.

“Late last year, I put a number of priority projects before RDA-NR for serious consideration, and I know councils have been fine tuning these and other worthy projects to get them to the next level, she said.

Priority projects for Page included $9.7 million for major refurbishment of Lismore City Hall; $4.5 million towards Ballina Shire Council’s $8.5-million Pyrolysis Demonstration Project to produce renewable energy and biochar from green waste; $2.9 million for Kyogle Museum and Art Gallery, incorporating a library extension; $2.5 million for Queen Elizabeth Park Redevelopment, Casino; and $1.5 million to Treelands Drive Community Centre Extensions, Yamba.

Ms Saffin also has committed to working with Clarence Valley Council and State Member for Clarence Steve Cansdell to secure a skate park for young people in Iluka.

Guidelines for the Regional Development Australia Fund, to be allocated over five years, can be obtained by emailing regionalgrants@regional.gov.au with RDAF Interest in the subject line.

A total of $350 million of the Fund has been set aside for disaster relief in regional communities, assessed on the same criteria as the rest of the Fund.