FUNDS FOR WAUCHOPE ROTARY GRAFFITI BUSTING PROJECT
Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has congratulated Wauchope Rotary, local businesses and Port Macquarie-Hastings Councillor, Josh Slade, in developing a new project to address recent graffiti problems in the local area.
Dr Gillespie today announced Federal funding of $5,000 towards Wauchope Rotary’s $10,000 local project for new equipment and materials to remove graffiti and new CCTV cameras to be installed throughout the Wauchope CBD, local streets and other public areas.
The funding had been made available under the 8th round of the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities program which provides $150,000 in assistance towards local community projects in each electorate across Australia.
“These funds will support Wauchope Rotary’s projects which aims to bring local business and volunteer groups together for regular clean-ups of our community, and to focus on a tidy town community group to give Wauchope CBD a much needed make over to remove or repaint over messy graffiti. The new CCTV cameras will assist police and help deter those seeking to damage local property.
Dr Gillespie said this round of funding was designed to support volunteer and community groups which weren’t able to fundraise or haven’t the means to provide matching funding.
“This program has always been very popular since its inception under the former Abbott Government. In this latest round, more than 80 organisations across the Lyne electorate applied for more than $1.5-million towards over $2-million in local community projects.
This program allows groups to apply for grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 without matching funding and up to 20 groups will be awarded funding per electorate. Local governing bodies and organisations that fall under them are only eligible to apply for up to 50 percent of the project costs and provide matching funding.
Dr Gillespie said he had written to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government, Catherine King, and the Shadow Minister, Bridget McKenzie, suggesting the program be continued and expanded.
“This is an important program for many local community organisations, particularly in regional and rural areas where we could have easily invested ten times the funding we were allocated locally towards community projects,” Dr Gillespie said.
“The Minister could not provide me with a commitment that future rounds would be supported only that it was a matter for the future. The Shadow Minister indicated the program would continue under a future Coalition Government.”