Tweed, Byron and Ballina Community Transport has received funding in the NSW Budget announced today.
Greens Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith today welcomed aspects of the NSW government’s Budget.
“I welcome the following much-needed investments in this electorate:
- $49.6 million to finish Ballina Coast High School
- $4.5 million for the Ballina-Byron Airport terminal upgrade under the Regional Tourism Infrastructure program
- $2.5 million for Bangalow agricultural area bridges under the Fixing Country Roads program
- $750,000 for the Ballina coastal recreational walkway
- $612,000 for safety improvements at Wollongbar on the Bruxner Highway
- $304,000 to construct a shared path along Balemo Drive in Ocean Shores
“The Tweed, Byron and Ballina Community Transport service will receive $1.87 million under the Commonwealth Home Support Program plus $193,000 under the Community Transport Program in this budget,” said Ms Smith.
“With $400 million allocated for the Pacific Highway upgrade and $5.6 billion being spent in total on the project it is vital that the most sound resistant road surface finish be done in Meerschaum Vale because the difference to people’s lives is enormous.
“The Biodiversity offsets are a joke - $12 million has been allocated to finalise acquisitions and offset core koala habitat destroyed by the Pacific Highway upgrade.
“This is an extremely small amount; the government would be better to spend that on a tagging and monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of what they’re doing at Meerschaum Vale,” said Ms Smith.