Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Spokesman Matthew Stadtmiller has called out the Liberal National coalition for short-changing rural communities half their infrastructure funding over the last six years.
 
Page 18 of the Auditor-General’s Report on State Finances released last Friday states “Over the past six years to 30 June 2018, 18.5 per cent of payments [to the Restart NSW Fund] have gone to [country] areas.”
 
https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/state-finances-2018
 
However, Section 9 of the Restart NSW Fund Act 2011 requires the State Government to spend 30 per cent of money in the fund on rural infrastructure projects.
 
“Once again the National Party and the Liberals have short-changed rural New South Wales while they spend billions on new Sydney stadiums. We have had a few announcements lately and we welcome any money that we have given the Government be returned to us, but this just proves how far behind we have been for so long,” Mr. Stadtmiller said.
 
“The tap better keep running with funding and we better get what we deserve. I think this Government is on the outer after recent by-election losses with a huge swing in Wagga.
 
“According to their own figures over the last six years they have only spent half as much on rural infrastructure than they are supposed to.
 
“The Deputy Premier brags that he has his ‘hand on the cheque book’ and can deliver for the bush, but now he’s been caught out ripping country people off.
 
“His hand may be on the cheque book, but his Liberal Party boss is the one writing the cheques, and she only wants to spend money in the city or just enough money in the bush to retain power.
 
“Rural people are angry that they are constantly being short-changed by a city-focused Government, and this report proves their concerns to be the reality.
 
“Not only is twice as much being spent on Sydney stadiums than the $1 billion offered as drought relief loans, but now half the money that’s supposed to go to the bush is either being withheld or spent in the city. It’s too little too late.”