A BETTER DEAL FOR BALLARAT
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Member for Ballarat Catherine King is looking forward to working with Prime Minister Julia Gillard to delivering for regional Australia.
Catherine King announced her strong support following from today’s decision by Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to support a new Federal Labor Government.
“Residents across the electorate of Ballarat are the real winners following this announcement,” Ms King said.
Regional Australia will benefit from better services, infrastructure and experience better economic development opportunities through the new Government’s up to an additional $10 billion investment.
The new Government will also deliver the world’s best broadband service to all of regional Australia through the National Broadband Network.
“The news that we can now continue building our National Broadband Network for this region is a great outcome for local families and businesses,” Catherine King said.
“And under our new plan, for the first time, broadband prices will be the same for households and businesses regardless of where they are located – be it in the city, regional Australia, or in rural areas,” Catherine King said.
The new Government has also shown its support for regional Australia by announcing support in both health and education investment.
The Government will open a new round of the Health and Hospitals Fund, of which there is $1.8 billion remaining. For the first time, this round will be exclusively for Regional Australia.
The Government will also open up a new round of the Education Investment Fund, of up to $500 million. For the first time, this round will also be quarantined to investments in regional Australia.
For the first time, the Government will provide a one-third guarantee in new investments in regional Australia – to improve education and health services around the country.
• At least $41 million of the $123 million provided for in the 2010-11 Budget to upgrade general practices, primary care and community health services, and Aboriginal Medical Services.
• At least $66 million entitlement of the $200m of the Critical Skills Investment Fund will go to regional businesses and workers.
• At least $125 million of the $388 million reward payments will be awarded to the most improved schools in regional Australia.
• At least $15 million of the $47 million facilitation payments allocated as part of the initial national roll out of greater local school autonomy.
In addition, the new Government will provide an extra $1.4 billion in investment in infrastructure and economic development of regional Australia. This includes:
• A new $800 million Priority Regional Infrastructure program to investment in projects identified by local communities in regional areas.
• A $573 million investment from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to support local projects as identified by Regional Development Australia committees in regional areas that unlock new growth opportunities in regional Australia.
All of this comes on top of significant investments in regional Australia that the government already committed to during the 2010 election campaign. This includes:
• A $6 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund. This includes $900 million towards projects already identified in regional Australia, with $4.5 billion remaining for further investments in economic infrastructure in regional Australia (in addition to investments identified by RDA committees, referenced above).
• A $200 million Building Better Regional Cities to help build affordable homes in regional cities over three years and relieve pressure on our major capital cities, so that Australia can grow sustainably.
Better NBN for regional Australia
For the first time, broadband prices will be the same for households and businesses regardless of where they are located – be it in the city, regional Australia, or in rural areas.
This will be achieved by a new cross subsidy to ensure a uniform national wholesale price so that regional areas can pay the same price as people in the city.
Regional areas will also be prioritised in the construction of the NBN
• Fibre will be built in regional areas as a priority.
• NBN Co will bring forward the introduction of wireless services and satellite services so that regional Australia can get access to better broadband straight away.
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