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PRIVATE MEMBER’S STATEMENT – CROWN RESERVES IMPROVEMENT FUND

Writer's picture: Steph Cooke MPSteph Cooke MP

Wednesday, 23 October 2024

 

The following statement, delivered by Member for Cootamundra and Shadow Minister for Crown Lands, to New South Wales Parliament on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.

 

Audio can be accessed here. Video can be accessed here.

 

Subjects: Volunteering, Country Shows, Grant Funding, Parks and Recreation

 

I express my deep concern over the continued cuts to the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund, or CRIF. This vital fund has been slashed yet again, from $14.5 million to $10 million. This reduction is a serious blow to the volunteers and community groups who work tirelessly to maintain and improve our Crown land across rural and regional New South Wales, including the Cootamundra electorate. Crown land is at the very heart of so many of our small towns and villages. It is where our local sports teams play, where our agricultural shows are held and where our communities gather for important moments. These spaces—our showgrounds, our racecourses, our parks and our much-loved community halls—are not just patches of land.

 

In fact, many of the cherished halls in my electorate of Cootamundra have been maintained by volunteers for over 100 years, standing as a testament to the dedication and spirit of the people of the seat of small communities. They are essential meeting places, cultural landmarks and economic lifelines. They bring us together as communities and preserve our history while building our future. However, maintaining and improving these spaces is no easy task. It is often left to volunteers and members of sporting groups and local organisations, who already give so much of their time and energy. Labor's decision to once again reduce funding for the CRIF makes it even harder for those community champions to continue their work.

 

Since this Government took office, the funding has been cut by $8 million annually. Under the Coalition, $18 million was allocated for the fund in 2022-23. Now, under Labor, this statewide fund has been reduced to just $10 million. This is not just a financial cut; it is a serious setback for our towns and villages, many of which rely on this funding to maintain essential infrastructure and create growth opportunities. To give an example from the Cootamundra electorate, in the 2021-22 financial year the Narrandera Race Club secured funding from the CRIF to build an amenities block. This was not just an investment in the race club; it was an investment in the entire local economy, providing jobs for local builders and great facilities for visitors to our beautiful region. This is just one project, but it underscores the importance of this funding. Without it, similar projects may no longer be possible.

 

With the shrinking pool of funds, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Crown land managers and community groups to compete for the funds they need. Not only has the total funding been reduced, but also this year's eligibility criteria is even more restrictive. A minimum grant amount of $100,000 has been introduced, and only projects deemed to have a "high-quality impact" are being considered. I ask the question: Who determines what constitutes a high-quality impact and will it reflect the unique needs of our small rural communities? The truth is that our towns and villages may not need millions of dollars. Even a small grant can have a massive impact. Many local groups have done their research, they have found the best prices and they are shovel ready—they just need the funding. Now they are being asked to fight for a share of a shrinking pool, with criteria seemingly designed to leave them behind.

 

These funding cuts have left our towns high and dry when they need support the most. We are not talking about luxury projects here; we are talking about basic infrastructure: the community halls, sporting facilities and parks that people in the Cootamundra electorate—and, indeed, across New South Wales—use every single day. These projects are essential to the fabric of our rural and regional communities, and they deserve support. I urge the Minns Labor Government to reverse these cuts and restore the CRIF to the levels our communities need. The volunteers and community groups in my electorate and across rural New South Wales work hard to preserve and improve our Crown land and they should not be left to scrap over what little is left. Let us give our rural and regional communities the investment they deserve so they can continue to thrive.

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