Labor walks away from Noosa boardwalk
11th August, 2008
The Federal Labor Government has again refused to provide funding for the Noosa Main Beach Community Boardwalk project.Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss said the previous Coalition Government had committed $550,000 that was to be used towards construction costs for the boardwalk, which forms part of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s Noosa Main Beach Community Precinct redevelopment.
“The Rudd Labor Government has walked away from the boardwalk project, leaving the Council and the community to pick up the funding shortfall,” Mr Truss said.
“The community has every right to feel disappointed and betrayed after having their $550,000 funding approval cancelled. Labor has backed down on its earlier refusal to fund any of the Regional Partnerships projects approved by the previous Government. They will now honour most of the commitments but not the Noosa project.
“The boardwalk proposal is strongly supported by local traders, who had committed substantial funds of their own in anticipation of working with the Council and the Federal Government to see the project through,” Mr Truss said.
The boardwalk would improve access to the Noosa Main Beach Regional Community Tourist Information Centre, Hastings Street and Noosa's Main Beach, benefiting locals, tourists and traders.
“Everyone knows the tourism industry and local businesses are doing it tough due to higher petrol and grocery prices, which is impacting on local spending as well as visitor numbers to the region.
“In these tough times, Governments need to do as much as they can to support good, local projects that stimulate the local economy and achieve positive social outcomes,” Mr Truss said.
“It is extremely disappointing that the Rudd Government is already so out of touch with our region that it did take our local conditions into consideration when making this funding decision.
“Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan are happy to pose for the cameras when they visit the region, but when it comes to demonstrating their support for local projects that contribute to the economic or social wellbeing of the area they are nowhere to be seen.”
