Lots to crow about for locals in Budget: Tweed MP
STATE MP Geoff Provest says locals will win plenty in the latest budget, with pensioners, the council, people living with a disability and sports clubs all set to benefit.
"I think there's a lot of detail in the budget,” he said. "I'm looking through it now to see what the Tweed will get through the electorate of Richmond.
"But the Roads to Recovery funding will get another $2.5 million; the foreshore at Kingscliff, there's $5.8 million this year of a total $9 million.
"Some community announcements - Casuarina Rugby Club gets $20,000, the Salt Surf Life Saving Club gets $1 million - that's for the new clubhouse they're building and on top of the $300,000 I gave them a couple of years ago.
"The Murwillumbah Basketball Association gets a new playing surface at $62,000; and the Tweed Regional Art Gallery gets $125,000.”
Mr Provest also refuted claims local schools were budget losers, saying those in the Richmond electorate would get an additional $331 million over the next 10 years on top of what was currently allocated.
"Now, the other big one, and I didn't realise the number in the Richmond area, but it's estimated the NDIS will help an additional 3224 people,” he said.
"In childcare, there's an extra $2.4 million that will allow 1967 to be able to access 15 hours of pre-school per week, so that's going to help young families.”
Mr Provest said people on pensions - including the aged, veterans and single-parents - would get a one-off energy assistance payment of $75 for singles and $125 for couples.
"It will benefit 35,400 people across Richmond,” he said.
"So a lot of those are in the Tweed area.”