Businesses, councils and not-for-profit organisations in Parkes have an opportunity to secure funding from the Murray Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Programme to help create more jobs and to strengthen and diversify the local economy.
This follows the announcement by the Australian and NSW governments that $14.1 million of funding would soon be available to communities most impacted by the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
This second round of funding is very good news as it will support jobs, businesses and industry in our area.
The funding round will be available via the $4.1million Energise Enterprise Fund and the $10 million Regional Business Investment Fund.
The Energise Enterprise Fund delivers one-off project grants of up to $25,000 or matched funding of up to $40,000. Businesses will be able to work with local councils and not-for-profits to fund projects to diversify, strengthen and build resilience in their local economies.
The $10 million Regional Business Investment Fund will be available for business investment projects that result in the creation of new jobs, including expanding a business, establishing a business or building infrastructure.
All projects need to be completed and all funding claimed by 30 June 2017.
The NSW Government opened an initial round of funding in August 2014 and has already allocated $18.4 million to 22 NSW projects, from a diverse range of industries including manufacturing, aquaculture, cheese-making and grain processing. Many of these projects are already delivering outcomes that will help diversify economies and create new jobs in the Murray Darling Basin.
Applications for the grants will open on Monday 30 November 2015.
For more information please visit: www.industry.nsw.gov.au/murraydarlingfund or contact the Dubbo Department of Industry office 02 6883 3100.
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Throughout this year, Anzac Centenary commemorations have provided us all with opportunities to reflect upon the sacrifices that so many of our countrymen and women made during the First World War.
One of the finest examples of this has been the re-enactment of the Coo-ee March.
The original march, now etched in war time history, saw a group of about 20 young men leave their home town of Gilgandra in 1915 and walk to Sydney, recruiting men on the way to join the AIF. Led by local plumber and rifle club member William T Hitchen (Captain Bill,) by the time the group arrived in Sydney their number had grown to 300.
On Remembrance Day this year, a group of equally dedicated people, who had over the past two weeks replicated the march, arrived in Sydney after having walked more than 600 kilometres from Gilgandra.
Many of them are direct descendants of the original “Coo-ees” while others were Gilgandra locals.
In Parliament last week I described the re-enactment as a mighty effort and a great testament to the original Coo-ees. I was fortunate to be able to join the group and walk for a short while on the day they left Gilgandra and their enthusiasm was palpable.
I commend the President of the Coo-ee March 2015 Committee, Mr. Brian Bywater and all those who completed the journey to Sydney. It was a magnificent effort and a truly worthy way to pay homage to the original Coo-ees.