Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to highlight a few of the wonderful projects getting underway in my electorate of Farrer through the Australian government's Stronger Communities Program. This fantastic grassroots support is delivering $150,000 across Farrer, to help deliver small but vital capital works. A real example of how valuable a relatively small amount of funding is can be seen at Deniliquin, in the centre of my electorate. At the local memorial park, a building run by the show society and football club exists; however, the ground is also home to the local cricket side. A $13,000 grant from Stronger Communities will allow the cricketers to expand and renovate a first-floor balcony and will provide year-round shelter to protect them from our harsh summer weather—which these days comes in both sunshine and rain. There will be up to 21 of these types of projects locally, each benefiting my communities in unique and special ways.

The Springdale Heights Preschool in the north of Albury will spend $15,000 on new facilities so their children can have access to a better preschool education. The air conditioning at Griffith Regional Theatre is over 30 years old; $6,000 will go to new cooling for the dressing rooms so that local community groups, schoolchildren and travelling artists can all be at their best. There are many more projects scattered across the electorate. I wish to thank the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science for its work in running the program. That is no small task when you think of the processes of coordinating the fund across the nation. It is a wonderful program for local communities. Long may it continue.