Labor shows lack of commitment to regional and rural Australians

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox has called on the Albanese Government to get on the with the job of delivering $140 million of investment in regional communities.

“The Federal Labor Government must come clean on what is happening with this money, which was committed to improving communications infrastructure under Round 2 of the Coalition’s Regional Connectivity Program (RCP),” Mr Willcox said.

“More than $43 million of the total amount was committed to 21 projects across Queensland.”

The grants were committed well before the last federal election.

“The Department of Communications even took the step of notifying successful applicants of the grants in writing back in April, and following the federal election, issued draft funding agreements,” Mr Willcox said.

“Yet here we are approaching the final months of the year and we have heard nothing from Communications Minister Michelle Rowland about funding for this critical infrastructure for regional and rural communities. It is not good enough that delivery of these projects is being delayed.”

Mr Willcox says the government’s failure to confirm the funding has the potential to put the projects at risk, along with third party project funding committed by telco companies and state governments.

“I am concerned the Federal Labor Government is planning to make cuts to the Regional Connectivity Program. I am calling on Minister Rowland to take the needs of regional communities seriously and get this funding out, so these projects can be built,” Mr Willcox said.