News
25 percent of SA mining royalties to country |
Monday, 19 October 2009
An Isobel Redmond Liberal Government will invest more than $40 million per year in a special fund to build infrastructure and create jobs in regional South Australia.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Member for Goyder Steven Griffiths said on forming government in 2010 a State Liberal government will invest 25 per cent of South Australia’s mining royalties into the existing Regional Development Infrastructure Fund (RDIF).
“For eight years under a wasteful Rann Labor government regional South Australia has been neglected. You only have to look at the poor condition of some our roads to see that funding for vital projects such as road maintenance is not being spent in the regions, Mr Griffiths said.
“The commitment of 25 per cent of mining royalties to regional South Australia will deliver projects which will improve the economic prosperity and assist in the delivery of vital services to communities.
“It will be about listening to what people want and working with local councils and business to determine where money will be best spent. Within the electorate of Goyder road and water infrastructure projects will be high priorities, said Mr Griffiths.
“The additional funding injected into our communities through RDIF will also generate local employment and support local business. Our support to regional SA is in contrast to the Rann government who have stripped jobs from the regions which has already sucked $165 million directly out of regional communities and affected many families.
“We will be working with a tight budget but a Liberal State government will make savings by cutting non-essential government advertising ($92 million), abolish the Thinkers in Residence Program ($4 million), reduce the number of ministers and ministerial staff ($35 million) and rebuilding the RAH on the existing site which will save South Australian tax payers another $500 million.
“We are sick and tired of being ignored by a city-centric Rann Government. It is high time that funding is provided to support the future for our regions and the State Liberal Party is committed to doing just that.