New Federal Grants Program Brought in To Help Communities Left Out of Former Government Initiative

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Councils and community groups in the Hunter are being encouraged to apply for a new round of federal government grants.

The $600 million Growing Regions Program has been brought in to replace the previous government's controversial Regional Growth Fund. 

Federal Labor has accused the Liberals and Nationals of pork-barreling and ignoring communities like the Hunter, after it was revealed 96% of funding from the Regional Growth Fund went to Coalition-held electorates.

The government says all local councils and community groups looking to deliver critical regional infrastructure will be eligible under the new program. 

Expressions of interest are now open. 

Lord Mayor Set to Speak at Inquiry on Newcastle Missing Out on State Grants

BY ISABEL EVERETT AND DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes will speak at a State Government inquiry on Friday, raising the issue of the city missing out on grant programs.

The inquiry into Integrity, efficacy and value for money of NSW Government grant programs was launched earlier this year to investigate the procedures and results of grant programs.

Mr Simon Massey, Economic Strategy and Government Relations Manager for the City of Newcastle, also speaking at the inquiry, says Newcastle has somehow been deemed not regional enough to receive regional grants, and not metropolitan enough to be eligible for programs aimed at Sydney.

"Potentially we've fallen through the cracks," Mr Massey said. "In a research report conducted by the University of Newcastle has identified over $175 million in missed NSW Government grant opportunities that the City of Newcastle has not been eligible to apply for, and therefore hasn't received."

"We'll be raising and tabling that report at this morning's inquiry."

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp is also set to discuss the city's exclusion and inconsistencies in eligibility for funding programs. 

Mr Crakanthorp says Newcastle was excluded from all arts and infrastructure programs until new announcements made in last week's budget.

“It’s uncanny that these new funds were announced during the middle of an inquiry that has already revealed widespread pork-barrelling in Government grant programs,” Mr Crakanthorp said.

“It’s quite clear that previous programs have been designed to deliberately exclude Newcastle, which also happens to be a safe Labor seat."

These concerns come regarding the distribution of the $250 million council grant scheme, amid claims 95 percent of it went to Coalition seats, with Newcastle missing out. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian admitted on Thursday to Government pork-barreling, saying the practice was not illegal.

Ms Berejiklian said a majority of grants were handed out to Coalition-held seats as there were simply more of them.

"Guess what? There are more Coalition seats than any other," she said on Thursday.