AS the new Albanese Government prepares to hand down its first budget, Calare MP Andrew Gee has issued a none-too-subtle reminder to Bathurst of what the city had been promised for the kitty by the Coalition.
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A press release from Mr Gee last week referred to the Coalition's election commitment of $15 million for the multi-storey car park that is proposed as part of a private medical centre development in Howick Street.
Mr Gee also reminded locals that Bathurst Regional Council has a $10 million Building Better Regions Fund application in to help build the new car park behind George Street.
A spokeswoman for the new federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, however, has told the Western Advocate that the Albanese Government "strongly supports regional Australia" and that there will be many opportunities for communities like Bathurst to work with the government on "infrastructure it considers important".
Mr Gee's press release said he had recently raised the issue of funding for the car park with the new Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Ms King.
He said the councils and community groups of his electorate were nervously "waiting for news on the fate of key regional projects and grants programs that are vital to the future of our country communities".
"The Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) is one program which has made a huge range of worthwhile projects possible across our region - but its future is in doubt," he said.
"The $1.38 billion BBRF program has beefed up infrastructure in the bush and strengthened country communities, backing projects that create jobs, drive economic growth and build a stronger tomorrow."
The BBRF has proved controversial: the Sydney Morning Herald reported in July that an auditor-general report had found almost two-thirds of the money in the regional grants scheme had gone to projects that did not have the most merit.
The Herald reported that the audit found it was a well-designed program, but there were deficiencies, including that the panel of ministers that made decisions (headed by former deputy prime ministers Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack) was able to override department recommendations based on opaque "other factors".
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has previously said, in regards to BBRF criticisms, that the same questions did not get asked about infrastructure spending in big cities.
Mr Gee said a number of projects in his electorate had received money through the BBRF, including $12.5 million for Bathurst's second racetrack; $1.9 million for an upgrade of Blayney CentrePoint Sports and Leisure Facility; and $925,000 for the Bathurst Animal Rehoming Centre.
He said the Albanese Government would be making it clear "in the black and white of the budget papers" whether it intends to support regional Australia and said that while the government had changed hands, "it's absolutely vital that funding for our regional communities continues".
The Western Advocate contacted Infrastructure Minister Ms King's office for a response to Mr Gee's comments.
A spokeswoman for the minister said the Albanese Labor Government "strongly supports regional Australia and the Budget will contain funding to meeting our commitments to the regions".
"There will also be many opportunities for communities like Bathurst to work with the Albanese Government on infrastructure it considers important," the spokeswoman said.
"Decisions about the future of programs such as the Building Better Regions Fund and the Community Development Grants program will be in the October Budget."
