Positive outcome from State Government meeting

Positive outcome from State Government meeting - 22 April 2016

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Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall has welcomed a move by the State to take a “whole of government approach” to the future growth of Bomen Business Park.

Cr Kendall and General Manager Alan Eldridge met with NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian and representatives from the Premier’s office in Sydney this afternoon to discuss a State Government commitment to the proposed Bomen Enabling Roads and RiFL Hub program.

Member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire also attended the meeting, at which the Treasurer noted the Premier Mike Baird wanted to meet with Council, but was unavailable and thought it was vital the meeting took place as soon as possible.

Without a State Government funding commitment to the project by the end of April, Wagga would lose $14.5M from the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

“On behalf Council and the Wagga community, I’d like to thank the Treasurer for her time today,” Cr Kendall said.

“In today’s meeting, the Treasurer confirmed the State and Federal Governments had discussed relaxing the timeline for funding and an agreement has been reached to extend the deadline until 30 June.

“This will allow Council to find out if its Fixing Country Roads application has been successful.

“The Treasurer will also meet with Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay to discuss a whole of government approach to this important infrastructure project.”

“The Treasurer’s understanding of the project and her acknowledgment that Council has been frustrated by the inability to find a funding source has given me a high level of confidence that the State Government will commit.”

The proposed Bomen Enabling Roads and RiFL Hub form a program of works worth approximately $70M. This program would see the construction of major rail and road infrastructure and a freight terminal on 95 hectares of land at the Bomen Business Park.

The Federal Government and State Government funding will allow the construction of enabling road infrastructure, which will help create the Wagga Wagga High Productivity Freight Route.