Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I welcome the very long-awaited announcement of the successful local applications from the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program. I say 'long-awaited' because people in my bushfire impacted electorate of Gilmore in the Shoalhaven and the Batemans Bay-Moruya area in the Eurobodalla have been waiting a very, very long time for the successful grants to be announced. Since the 'black summer' bushfires, I have been working with a large number of local groups, organisations and councils with regard to what they need to help with bushfire recovery. Earlier in 2021, I took part in a lengthy process to ensure local projects were supported in the Shoalhaven and the Eurobodalla. Although I remain disappointed that this process has taken so long and that the government has clearly politicised the timing of these grants, I'm pleased to see that many local projects have been funded, bringing a total of over $22 million in local projects for the Shoalhaven and the Eurobodalla—projects that I have fought hard for. The Mogo Community Recreation Hub in the Eurobodalla is being funded to the tune of just under $1 million. The Moruya Showground, the home of the Moruya evacuation centre during the bushfires, will also receive an upgrade. Conjola Park, also hit hard by the bushfires, will receive funding for Conjola Park foreshore recovery. These are just some of the terrific projects which I look forward to supporting as they go ahead.