MANLY DESERVES MORE FROM FEDERAL LABOR BUDGET

Member for Manly, James Griffin has slammed Labor’s recent Federal budget, claiming it has been a disaster for local community groups and other organisations.

Mr Griffin said twenty projects were submitted by the Federal Member for Warringah and most, if not all funding requests were made to support important infrastructure for community groups and for services within the Manly electorate.

“I am advised the community of Warringah did not receive a single cent of funding for local infrastructure projects, and it appears funding for community groups has also been rejected.

“These are important and meaningful projects – not frivolous,” Mr Griffin said.

Following community consultation, the Federal Member’s pre-budget submission included a proposal for shared paths and cycleways costing $7.5 million, a Manly-Warringah gymnastics centre costing $5 million over two years, and the important expansion of paediatric telehealth services at Royal Far West, costing $18 million over five years.

There was also a proposal for an Ivanhoe Park grandstand upgrade costing $26 million and funding for the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter rental support program at $400,000.

Mr Griffin said, “The legitimate needs of the community appear to have been overlooked.

“The local groups and organisations deserve an explanation as to why, following consultation, their requests through the Federal Member have been ignored.

“To this end, I have written to the Federal Treasurer seeking an explanation.

Mr Griffin said, “There should be a degree of transparency and feedback as to why advocacy has failed, or why particular projects have been deemed to lack sufficient importance for financial support.”

He said, “The community deserves to know what feedback has been provided, if any, as to why these projects have been unsuccessful in securing funding in this year’s Federal budget.”