LOCAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS BACKED BY NATIONAL BUSHFIRE RECOVERY FIND – HUNTER

Feb 14, 2022 | Media Releases 2022

MEDIA RELEASE

The Australian Government has provided funding to local community projects in the Hunter Region under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program, with eight projects receiving more than $4.1 million in support.

Senator for New South Wales, Perin Davey, said the provision of mobile phone boosters for Rural Halls and Fire Service Sheds to aid the community of Singleton in an emergency are among the 524 projects funded under the program.

Senator Davey said the overall program funding was boosted by $110 million to $390 million to further support communities around Australia to recover from the 2019-20 bushfires.

“As part of the now $2.2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund, the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program is backing projects which the affected communities have said will best support their ongoing recovery,” Senator Davey said.

“The grants will fund a broad range of recovery and resilience projects, from social and community wellbeing right through to projects that support local jobs, small businesses and infrastructure.

“It was important that we funded projects based on need and merit and which offered a lasting and tangible impact, tailored to local needs and conditions. The quality of the projects funded shows that our ‘locally led’ approach works.

“We understand that recovery from bushfires takes time, and we will continue to support impacted communities through their recovery from the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020.”

Senator Davey said local projects funded included:

Cessnock City Council: Cessnock Airport RFS Aviation Fire Base Project
• Cessnock City Council: Support Local and Product Champion Program
Lake Macquarie City Council: Enhance Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track (FAST) for Economic Resilience
Lake Macquarie City Council: The ART of Recovery
• Muswellbrook Shire Council: Purchase of five Fire Danger Indicator Signs for Muswellbrook Shire
Muswellbrook Shire Council: Replace Oakleigh Bridge, Widden Valley Road, Denman
Singleton Council: Emergency Signage and Portable Water Tanks
Singleton Council: Mobile Phone Boosters for Rural Community Buildings

Details of the funded projects are available on the National Recovery and Resilience Agency website at: https://recovery.gov.au/programs/black-summer-grants

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