Photo Caption: Member for Parkes Mark Coulton (front, right) with Condobolin P A H & I President Jeff Kirk and Secretary Carol-Ann Malouf OAM (front), along with members Noel Donnelly and Tony Mooney (middle), and Len Krebs, Graham McDonald and David McDonald (back).
The Condobolin P A H & I Association will undertake a much-needed power upgrade at the local showgrounds with $45,060 of funding under the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants program.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton, who met with members of the show society at the showgrounds this week, said the improvements will make a great difference to future show events.
“We know that many country shows in the Parkes electorate, including Condobolin, have had to cancel events in recent times, whether it be due to drought or the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Coulton said.
“Cancelling a show is not always an easy decision to make, and it has flow-on impacts to the local economy.
“Thanks to the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants program, we’ll be seeing work underway on new and improved showground facilities for everyone to enjoy going forward.
“Upgrading show facilities means more visitors to our country towns once we get ahead of the coronavirus. It means more local employment and more support for local businesses.”
Condobolin P A H & I Association President, Jeff Kirk, said the upgrades will be widely welcomed.
“We would like to thank the Federal Government for their support in helping to fund power upgrades at the eastern end of our showground,” Mr Kirk said.
“It has long been a major concern of our committee that the standard of the power infrastructure was going to lead to a serious accident or failure to run our show.
“This upgrade will greatly assist with our workplace health and safety obligations, the overall safety of the grounds and the reliability of conducting our longstanding community event.”
Condobolin was one of eight agricultural show societies in the Parkes electorate which shared in $1.5 million to reinvigorate their showgrounds under the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants program.
Mr Coulton has also announced that the Australian Government is spending $36 million to help agricultural show societies recover from the effects of COVID-19, ensuring they can continue after the pandemic.
“Eligible local shows in the Parkes electorate could receive a reimbursement of up to $70,000 under the Supporting Agricultural Shows program to deal with cash flow pressures,” he said.
“The Government is reimbursing shows for costs incurred in 2020 and funds will be paid in 2021. I urge show societies to check their eligibility and apply when the grants open.”
For a full list of successful applicants under the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants Program visit www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/infrastructure/ag-shows
For further details about the Supporting Agricultural Shows program, see https://www.regional.gov.au/regional/programs/covid-19-relief-and-recovery-fund.aspx
