JOHN WILKINSON SPORTING COMPLEX

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has congratulated Maitland City Council on improvements to the John Wilkinson Sporting Precinct, including upgrades to the sporting facilities, new footpath and cycleways, and the new children’s playground.

“I’ve been working with Council to address local community priorities through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program and I’m delighted that through the assistance I was able to secure in the previous government we have been able to improve these facilities here in Bolwarra,” Dr Gillespie said.

Dr Gillespie said the program, which was created by the former Federal Coalition Government, had now become a critical program for regional councils in local infrastructure delivery.

“Despite Labor’s axing several regional programs, I am pleased that the government is going to retain the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program.

“In my recent Vision 2030 Plan survey, of the 3,000 households that responded across the Lyne electorate, roads were the number one priority.

“This program will go some way towards getting more community and road projects on the agenda.

Dr Gillespie said that since the Federal election a year ago, he’d had several meetings with both the Minister and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Development.

“I’ve discussed the need to not only maintain existing levels of funding for infrastructure in regional areas like ours, but also further investment given the importance of roads to our region and the economy,” Dr Gillespie said.

“In government, The Nationals put in place a number of good programs for regional Australia. These programs, combined with the regionalisation agenda we took to the last election, should be embraced if Australia is not only to bring regional infrastructure up to standard, but also move the growth out of our major cities and into rural and regional towns,” he added.