Two important health and recreation projects have been stalled by concerns that $700,000 in federal government funding may disappear.
Through the former Labor government’s Regional Development Australia Fund, Brimbank council was allocated money for shared bicycle and walking trails along Kororoit Creek at Green Gully Reserve and Taylors Creek in Cairnlea.
But it’s increasingly likely the Coalition will withdraw the money as contracts have not yet been signed.
Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss said there were no guarantees. “The government will continue to deliver funding to Regional Development Australia Fund projects that are under contract,” he said. “The issue of funding uncontracted projects will be considered in the context of available funds and the most effective way to deliver the [new] National Stronger Regions Fund.”
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The Kororoit Creek trail project would complete a pedestrian and cycle link to Deer Park, and downstream to the Federation Trail.
The Taylors Creek trail would complete a missing section between Brimbank Park and the Taylors Creek linear park.
A recent council report found most parks in the network are poorly developed and have a low level of landscape and recreational amenity.
Council infrastructure and environment director Paul Younis confirmed contracts for the projects had yet to be signed.
“Council is waiting for a response from the federal government to confirm the status of the application.”
In October, the Weekly reported that traders believed the safety of Sunshine commuters was being put at risk amid fears that funding for closed-circuit television cameras in Sunshine’s CBD will be withdrawn.
Sunshine Business Association president Bruce White said that with the new government yet to commit to Labor’s allocation of $300,000 towards CCTV near Sunshine railway station, residents’ safety was at stake. The money was allocated by Labor through a crime prevention fund.
