By DANE LILLINGSTONE
THE Southern Downs has had some notable allocations in this year’s Queensland budget, but Mayor Peter Blundell is not convinced.
Warwick will receive $9.6 million towards the redevelopment of the East Warwick power substation, $2 million over two years will go towards upgrading the Hermitage Research Facility, and Stanthorpe will receive a $1 million upgrade for the Glen Niven Dam.
Although there were cash injections into the area, Mayor Blundell believes there could have been more.
“While it was very pleasing to see the $9.6 million allocated for the substation upgrade, the only other infrastructure project to receive recognition was Glen Niven Dam. There are other infrastructure projects that would benefit this community significantly, for instance a reinstatement of funding arrangements by the State Government of the Smaller Communities Assistance Program would allow council to significantly upgrade and improve water and wastewater infrastructure,” he said.
“We would also like to see funding for the extension of the Warwick Drag Strip, and we would certainly support funding being allocated for other infrastructure including the upgrading of the Warwick Hospital.”
Mayor Blundell is most interested in how the $19 million for public housing will be spent.
“Affordable housing is an increasing issue for the Southern Downs region, as it is in most parts of Queensland,” he said.
“Council currently has 44 social housing units across the Southern Downs region, and these are predominantly targeted to seniors, but we know there is a need for access to affordable housing across other demographics.
“Council is only one provider of social housing in the region, with the Queensland Department of Housing providing public housing across the Southern Downs, some of which are managed by other organisations.
“Council has reviewed its role in relation to the provision of social housing, and is currently awaiting the outcome of discussions with the Queensland Government.
“We look forward to gaining a better understanding how the $19 million allocated to public housing in the Darling Downs will be spent.”
The biggest initiatives to come out of the budget for the Darling Downs area include:
- $19 million to expand and improve public housing
- $53.7 million for disaster relief and recovery
- $2.8 million to sustainable agriculture and water quality
- $308,000 towards improving children’s literacy
- $1.4 million for ophthalmology surgery
- $1.4 million in public library grants
- $100,000 million for elderly parent carers (a trial for parents with adult sons and daughters with disabilities)
- $4.1 million for new school facilities.
State-wide, the region will benefit from sharing in $45 million in drought relief including $4.1 million for rebates and land rental, $5 million to control wild dogs and cat populations, $40 million to establish the Community Resilience Fund to help protect communities vulnerable to natural disasters and $20.6 million towards enhancing regional hospitals.
The $49.9 billion budget is predicted to achieve a $962 million operating surplus in 2014-’15, with that number rising to $1.2 billion in 2015-’16. That prediction is expected to shave $7.5 billion off the state’s current debt.
