Mayor calls for community support for Restart projects
Wingecarribee Shire Mayor, Councillor Juliet Arkwright is calling on Southern Highlands business and community representatives to support local projects that have been shortlisted for funding under the State Government’s Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund.
“Earlier this month the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward MP, announced that four Wingecarribee Shire based projects had been nominated for potential funding under the program,” Mayor Arkwright said. “They were short-listed as being of regional significance and having the potential to contribute to the future growth and development of the region.”
The $100 million Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund has been established by the NSW State Government to help fund priority infrastructure projects across the Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Kiama and Wingecarribee Local Government Areas.
The four local projects shortlisted are:
- Assisted accommodation for the disabled at Mittagong – Challenge Southern Highlands
- Pedestrian and cycleway between Mittagong and Bowral – Wingecarribee Shire Council
- Bowral town centre Distributor Bypass Road – Wingecarribee Shire Council
- Northern Extension Rail Y Link – Moss Vale Enterprise Corridor – Wingecarribee Shire Council
The shortlisted projects were nominated following a meeting by the Local Leaders Group, which included representatives from Regional Development Australia Illawarra and the Far South Coast, Wollongong University, regional Business Chambers, the Port Kembla Port Corporation and local councils.
Mayor Arkwright said residents could show their support for the projects via a number of ways.
“The first is to come along to the Moss Vale Public Forum to be held on Tuesday 3 September,” Mayor Arkwright said. “The second is via the Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund website where residents can register their support online.”
Infrastructure NSW will be hosting a number of regional public forums talking to local leaders in a bid to get feedback from the community. These views, in conjunction with the online Community Feedback Survey responses, will help identify the priority projects that receive funding.
The Moss Vale Public Forum will be held at the Moss Vale Services Club, Yarrawa Street, Moss Vale from 6pm on Tuesday 3 September.
To register and log on to the Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund website, visit www.engage.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/restart-illawarra.
“Community support is essential in ensuring our projects are considered by the State Government,” Mayor Arkwright added.
“Our Shire has a strong linkage with Port Kembla and we feel strongly about the leasing of the Port and believe the money being invested should be equally distributed.
“Not only does the Port rail line run through Moss Vale, but six years ago Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port Kembla Port Corporation to create an ‘inland port’ at Moss Vale,” she said.
“We’ve subsequently identified 640 hectares in Moss Vale which has the potential for accommodating an inland port and supporting the greater Illawarra economy.”
Successful projects will be announced by the NSW State Government in late 2013.
For more information visit www.insw.com.