Drought Communities Program support for Armidale

01 Mar 2019

Member for New England and Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, Barnaby Joyce, is pleased to announce Armidale Regional Council has secured $500,000 for the Kempsey Road Upgrade funded under the Liberal and Nationals Government’s $81 million Drought Communities Program.

 

This funding will assist council to upgrade a 2.3 km section of Kempsey Road, in the locality of Wollomombi. The section of works to Kempsey Road would extend from Oaky River Dam Road down the hill to where the bitumen begins before Oaky River.

 

“This is vital infrastructure funding that will help to keep the money spinning around town, supporting drought communities like Armidale while also delivering key upgrades to our local road network,” Mr Joyce said.

 

Armidale council has now received $1million in assistance under this program and New England councils have so far been approved for more than $7.5 million in Australian Government-funded drought assistance under this program.

 

Minister for Regional Services, Local Government and Decentralisation Bridget McKenzie said rural Australians show their true colours when times are tough, and for many across New England, and much of NSW and Queensland have seen successive tough seasons.

 

“Drought has taken a heavy economic and emotional toll across much of eastern Australia. It will take several seasons for things to turn around but these projects will help stimulate the local economy by generating new income, helping the Liverpool Plains region through the tough times,” Minister McKenzie, Deputy Leader of The Nationals, said.

 

The Drought Communities Program supports communities in the most drought-affected regions of Australia and builds on more than $7 billion of Liberal National Government drought support measures.

 

In August 2018, the program was extended to provide support of $1 million to 60 eligible councils and in October a further 21 eligible councils were added to reach even more communities suffering through drought. Funding is available to eligible councils for local infrastructure projects and other drought-relief activities.

 

- Armidale projects already approved under the program - $500,000 for Boorolong Road Upgrade, cattle grid repair and installation of water filling stations

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