Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell has confirmed a $600,000 commitment made by the previous Coalition Government has been honoured by the new Labor Government.
Funding of $3.3 million for a new sports stadium in Yarrawonga has also been confirmed, following conversations with relevant ministers
Mr Birrell said confirming those projects was something he had been doing “from day one”.
“The projects were supported under the Community Development Grants program, but contracts had not been signed prior to the election caretaker period; approval should have been a formality but instead Labor chose to delay and play politics,” he said.
Mr Birrell said he was also frustrated by state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed, who in welcoming a $1 million funding promise from the Victorian Government said the $600,000 was a “failed promise ... by the federal Coalition Government”.
“The only failure was fact checking,” Mr Birrell said.
“If Suzanna Sheed was genuinely engaged with the proponents of either project, she would know how hard we were working together to ensure these funding commitments, not promises, were honoured.
“We saw through the pandemic, and we are seeing again now during the flood emergency, how important Shepparton FoodShare is to the community. They deserve a new home, and I am proud to have helped secure the funding to make it a reality.”
Mr Birrell said the lobbying included a visit to Canberra by students from Yarrawonga’s Sacred Heart Primary School, who had made it their mission to seek support for their stadium.
“The Yarrawonga community is fully behind the multi-sport stadium and I am proud that it will be built with funding secured by the Nationals,” Mr Birrell said.