A NEW NSW Government scheme which offers Sydneysiders $7000 to move to the Tweed and other regional areas has come under fire from former Tweed mayor and usual staunch Coalition supporter Cr Warren Polglase.

Cr Polglase believes the $46.9 million a year being set aside by the O’Farrell government would be better spent on “roads and bridges” or encouraging businesses to relocate and create jobs in regional areas.

The move puts Cr Polglase, a senior Tweed National Party member, at odds with colleagues such as Ballina Nationals MP and Minister for Local Government Don Page, an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme, who said it would attract both young skilled people and retirees to regional areas.

Under legislation passed by the NSW Parliament last week, people who sell their homes in Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle or the Illawarra and then buy a primary place of residence worth up to $600,000 in regional areas will receive the grant.

But Cr Polglase said many people already wanted to live on the Far North Coast and jobs were needed.

“The Tweed has got a lifestyle which everybody would love to be involved with,” Cr Polglase said.

“If you have a job, yes it’s a good decision to move.

“If you are a retiree, what better place to be. But I can’t see the benefit of this sort of funding. I believe the government would be better off putting the money into roads and bridges ... or give $100,000 to a business to relocate in the Tweed. You can manufacture brooms as well in Sydney or Melbourne as you can manufacture brooms here. Young couples aren’t going to move if they haven’t got a job. It will cost them two grand just to move the furniture up here.”

Deputy PremierAndrew Stoner said the grants were part of the government’s strategy to boost regional centres and ease congestion in Sydney.