Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is encouraging local councils and community organisations to prepare their applications for the latest round of the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).
Mr Chester welcomed the release of the guidelines for round five and said it would support communities which had been affected by drought, bushfires and coronavirus.
“Many projects throughout our region have already benefited from previous rounds of the Building Better Regions Fund,” Mr Chester said.
“This round is a fantastic opportunity to put forward some of our shovel ready projects and get them funded so work can start.
“Round five includes $100 million dedicated to funding tourism-related infrastructure which would boost our local economy, create more jobs and bring more visitors to our wonderful part of the world.”
Mr Chester said the early release of the guidelines ensured local organisations had enough time to plan, create and eventually submit comprehensive applications.
“Alongside the dedicated tourism-related infrastructure stream, there is also $100 million for broader community infrastructure and investment,” Mr Chester said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said the launch of the program guidelines meant prospective applicants could now begin planning their project applications for assessment.
“The Australian Government is supporting regional communities across the nation with a particular focus in this round on regional tourism,” Mr McCormack said.
“The funding will create jobs and drive economic growth in our rural and remote communities at a time it is needed most.”
The guidelines have now been released and can be found at www.business.gov.au/bbrf
Applications open on January 12, 2021 and close on March 5, 2021. Successful applications are expected to be announced in mid-2021.
