Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The absolute benefit of federal funding was brought home to me again on Saturday, when I attended the home game for the Narrandera Imperial Eagles against the Mangoplah Cookardinia United Eastlakes Goannas. Narrandera is not in my electorate; it's in Farrer, and I commend Sussan Ley for what she's done for that electorate. Two million dollars has gone into the home of football's new clubhouse and change room facility. If ever there was a project that benefits all of Riverina, even though it's not in my electorate, it is this—certainly for sport.

When I think of federal funding, I look around my electorate and I see the main street upgrades at Cootamundra, Cowra, Forbes, Grenfell, Gundagai and Parkes—it sounds like one of those 'I've been everywhere, man'. But you can't over-emphasise the benefit of this federal funding. I know that the mayor of Temora, Councillor Rick Firman OAM, extolls the virtues of the Temora Airport upgrade. It received significant funding—$5.353 million—and included the Temora aerodrome, runway and associated main apron and taxiways, which were made safer, and that wonderful facility, that museum—if you haven't been there, you need to visit. Temora is a showpiece when it comes to aviation excellence. I can't commend enough the regional funding that we previously provided as a coalition government. It makes such a difference to building community capacity in those country communities.