EXTRA >> THE Federal Government is well down the track on what it calls the biggest infrastructure drive in the nation’s history.

It is certainly a record in terms of money being spent: $50 billion worth of projects have already been announced, dominated by improvements to Australia’s road networks including projects that have been discussed for generations, such as an alternative Toowoomba range crossing. 

“Our record $50 billion infrastructure investment has seen work start on 22 major new projects (in 2014) and another 47 in 2015, most of which either languished under Labor or simply were not on their radar,” Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss said. He announced the program in December with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

“In Queensland, our $6.7 billion commitment to fix the Bruce Highway, including 47 new projects to make it safer and less flood-prone, is well underway. This year construction started on raising the Bruce across the Yeppen Floodplain south of Rockhampton, as well as large sections of works between Cooroy and Curra.”

Mr Truss said early works had started on the last stage of the Townsville Ring Road.

“We have expanded construction to duplicate the road and include grade separated interchanges. The Australian Government will complete this project, which has been allowed to stretch out for a decade.

“In every corner of Australia we are building a better, more productive future. In Cape York we have started construction on a $260 million package of works, including projects that will keep roads open for longer during the wet season,” he said.

“There is $930 million to continue the Gateway Motorway North upgrade in Brisbane and up to $1.285 billion for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, expected to support 1,800 jobs during construction.”

FUNDING RE-BALANCE

“The Australian Government has re-introduced the traditional 80:20 funding split for new road and rail projects on the national network outside of metropolitan areas. Under Labor these networks would have been abandoned,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

“In NSW this means our $5.64 billion will see the Pacific Highway finally duplicated by the end of this decade. Australia's largest regional road project is now in full swing, with three consortia shortlisted to oversee construction of the final 155km Woolgoolga to Ballina section in 2015.

“Our partnership with the NSW Government in Western Sydney ends half-a-century of dithering to lock-in the site for a new Western Sydney airport and we have committed $3.6 billion for the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan to create new local jobs and slash travel times for motorists.”

Mr Abbott said the $1.5 billion investment in WestConnex, would cut 40 minutes on travel between Parramatta and Kingsford Smith Airport. The government is also providing a concessional loan of up to $2 billion to fast-track WestConnex Stage 2, bringing it forward by up to 18 months.

“WestConnex will create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction,” Mr Abbott said. “Our joint $810 million contribution with the NSW Government to build the $3 billion NorthConnex project will also create thousands of jobs, allow motorists to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights and save up to 15 mins travel time.”

In Victoria, the Federal Government has committed $3 billion to build the East-West Link which is expected to create almost 7,000 jobs during construction and would slash travel times between the Eastern Freeway and CityLink to seven minutes and bypass 23 sets of traffic lights.

“It would be extremely disappointing for Victoria if the new Labor Government tries to cancel the East-West contract which could potentially damage Australia's reputation as a secure market for international investment,” Mr Abbott said.

“We are also fixing one of the world;s most scenic coastal drives, the Great Ocean Road, which has deteriorated due to the effects of age, heavy rainfall, salt corrosion and increasing tourist traffic. The first stages of our $25 million package of works kicked off in August.

“In November we invested $70 million of new funding to the Princes Highway East and a further $97.3 million to the Western Highway to further duplicate these nationally significant highways.”

In South Australia, the Federal Government is spending almost $1 billion to upgrade the North-South corridor. Planning commenced last year and construction will start in 2015 on both the Darlington and Torrens-to-Torrens projects.

Mr Abbot also said the $400 million commitment to Tasmania’s Midland Highway is now a key part of the  Federal Government’s Economic Action Strategy, and there were seven projects, totalling $20 million, starting construction by end-January 2015.

Mr Truss said, “In Western Australia, our $676 million investment will finish the Gateway WA Project in Perth and we are getting on with delivering NorthLink WA on the Perth to Darwin Highway which we committed $615 million towards.”

Construction started in 2014 on the $307.8 million Great Northern Highway (Muchea to Wubin) and the $174 million North West Coastal Highway (Minilya to Barradale), with the $140.6 million Tonkin Highway upgrade now also in the planning stages.

“We are also delivering more for less through new innovative financing with a heavy vehicle road user charge being introduced in WA for the first time to help build the $1.6 billion Perth Freight Link, which will enable this vital project to go out to tender in 2015,” Mr Truss said.

REGIONAL DRIVE

In the Northern Territory, the Federal road program has completed the first section of the $103 million Tiger Brennan Drive duplication, with works on the next section between Woolner and Berrimah Roads ready to proceed.

“Construction began in November on the first two projects in the $90 million Regional Roads Productivity Package,” Mr Truss said, “which upgrades six regional and remote roads in the Territory that are key to continuing export growth from the resource and primary industry sectors.

“In addition, we have committed $2.1 billion for local roads under the Roads to Recovery Programme – including an extra $350 million more to provide double the funding in 2015–16. Another $500 million for Black Spots, crucial to fixing dangerous and accident-prone sections of local roads and streets, and $229 million for a new national highway upgrade program.

“Our additional funding of $200 million for heavy vehicle safety has received 150 proposals and our new $300 million Bridges Renewal program, to repair and replace local bridges, has attracted more than 270 project proposals.

“While in government for just over a year, we are delivering on an infrastructure agenda to set Australia on the road to prosperity for generations to come,” Mr Truss said.

2014–2015 New Major Projects

CONSTRUCTION is underway on the new township of Providence in Ripley Valley, near Ipswich in South East Queensland – and it is expected to dominate new construction in the region again this year.

Providence will eventually be a 7000-home community, stretching out to 670 hectares, over three times the size of the Brisbane CBD, with more than 300 homes started over the past year. 

Accompanying those homes is millions of dollars worth of construction on parklands, road networks, playgrounds and a neighbourhood centre.

“At our peak this year, we’re expecting more than a thousand workers at any one time to be actively building on site,” Providence project director Michael Khan said at the launch of the project last year.

A 24-home display village is reaching completion and the first residents’ homes are underway. The Providence master plan includes a future town centre designed in a modern ‘main street’ style, supermarket, retail shops and a civic town park. A primary and secondary school are planned, along with a ‘health and wellbeing’ precinct, 15ha of sports and recreational facilities and 200ha of green and open space.

“Within six months of launching, independent data showed Providence was one of the top 10 fastest selling projects in the country, with sales of more than one block of land every day,” Mr Khan said.

“Fast forward that to 2015, and we’re expecting housing construction to be almost as fast."

“The combined construction cost of the 24-home display village is estimated to be more than $6 million which is expected to involve up to 2,500 people during construction of the homes. This ranges from designers and certifiers to all the trades both on and off the site itself to produce the finished product.”

Mr Khan said the growth of housing construction would be a windfall for local builders, and create hundreds of jobs for locals.

“The building industry has believed in us from the very beginning, with land in the display village completely selling out on the day of release to the builders,” Mr Khan said.

He said Providence, about six minutes drive from Springfield and 10 minutes from Ipswich, was the first entirely new town for decades in one of the fastest developing areas of Australia and is the largest single development in the Ripley Valley.

Providence is being created by Amex Corporation, one of Australia’s most successful family-owned residential development companies, which has created 14 sustainable residential communities in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria. Amex Corporation has been in Queensland for more than 25 years having been founded in Perth in 1971 by the Shephard family, whose members remain involved in bringing new communities to life as special places to live.

Amex Corporation has taken a lead role in identifying the potential and creating the vision for the Ripley Valley. The area is now being transformed into one of Australia’s largest master planned communities to accommodate the large population growth in South-East Queensland.

www.myprovidence.com.au

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HAYMARKET village small businesses are receiving both a physical and virtual ‘makeover’ from the City of Sydney to boost customer appeal.

Haymarket’s shopfronts will get a customer-appealing makeover and local businesses will get help in attracting Asian connections as part of a series of business grants from the city council.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the latest Village Business Partnership grants have been awarded to the Haymarket, Pyrmont Ultimo and Paddington business chambers after each successfully delivered on economic projects in a previous funding round. Surry Hills Creative Precinct will also receive funding.

“Small business is the lifeblood of our local economy, particularly in our villages, so we’re helping them make the most of opportunities,” Cr Moore said.

“The City works to build sustainable and strong local economies, and through the Village Business Partnership Grants, runs a number of initiatives to support and build capacity in local business.

“About 13,000, or 60 percent of all businesses in our local government area, are located outside the CBD in the city’s village areas.”
As part of the latest Village Business Partnership program, the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce will receive $74,000 to increase engagement with Asian business communities and improve the area’s appearance.

Costs for more multi-lingual communication – website translations and information kits – will be covered to help keep businesses abreast of opportunities.
The chamber will also run a retail shopfront competition among 30 retailers, with the winner receiving a $2,000 prize, to give the CBD area a makeover that will attract more people to local businesses.

The City of Sydney will grant the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce $80,000 and value-in-kind banner pole hire worth $2,000.

The funds will help promote greater business exchanges in an area where creative industries have grown 35 percent since 2007. Cr Moore said they would cultivate a sustainable economy together with local businesses, develop a new destination website and market restaurants and tourist attractions.

The Paddington Business Partnership will receive a grant of $65,000 to help business improve connections with customers through the website www.visitpaddington.com.au and a social media program.

Building on the area’s rich fashion history, the Partnership will run a precinct branding competition to better promote Paddington.

It will also help sharpen local retailers’ business expertise and continue supporting two highly popular street events, the William Street Festival and the Five Ways Shop Local campaign.

Surry Hills Creative Precinct will receive its first Village Business grant of $60,000, after receiving a matching grant of $10,000 from the City to help it get started earlier this year.    
Half of the new money will help the precinct survey local businesses to map the area’s economic, social and cultural makeup.

The remainder will contribute to the development of workshops to build the capacity of businesses and investigate the merits of a potential app for the area.
In 2014/15, the grants approved by Council under the City’s Village Business Partnership Program will total $650,000.

Earlier this year, the Chippendale Creative Precinct received $72,500, while the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, the Potts Point Partnership, and the Walsh Bay Arts and Commerce all were awarded $80,000; and the South Sydney Business Chamber received $128,000.

www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

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EXTRA >>

CREATIVE Partnerships Australia and the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre (KALACC) recently hosted a ‘philanthropy tour’ to coincide with the KALACC Festival – the most significant Aboriginal festival of culture in the Kimberley, attended by many of the Aboriginal communities of the region.

The biennial festival, took place in the community of Jarlmadangah, more than three hours drive from Broome.  The tour brought together 20 private donors, trustees of private foundations and corporate leaders interested in learning more about Aboriginal culture in the Kimberley and improving the impact of grant making to Aboriginal communities.
Creative Partnerships Australia’s manager for Western Australia and South Australia, James Boyd said the tour was organised to actively engage new potential donors, following the end of two major grants that had previously supported the KALACC Festival

“Voluntary donations from tour participants raised nearly $100,000 towards the cost of the event. The festival may not have gone ahead without this financial support,” Mr Boyd said.

“The Philanthropy Tour provides a unique opportunity to learn about how Kimberley Aboriginal communities operate.  The tour focuses on the importance of culture and the vital role it plays in Aboriginal wellbeing in remote communities.

“The tour also directly connects grant-makers to Aboriginal leaders and elders, who are able to advise and monitor grants supporting locally driven initiatives. It enables direct access, which is otherwise difficult to arrange.”

Mr Boyd said Creative Partnerships collaborated with KALACC to organise the tour in order to provide direct connections with potential supporters from both the philanthropic and business sectors. 

“Creative Partnerships helped KALACC identify those with an interest in Aboriginal investment and coordinated valuable learning and connecting opportunities,” he said. “The KALACC Festival is a closed Aboriginal festival.  Guests attend by invitation only.  So Creative Partnerships worked closely with KALACC to create an environment for two-way learning and opportunity.”

Mr Boyd said Creative Partnerships Australia followed the principles of ‘cultural wounds’ requiring ‘cultural medicines’.

“US indigenous cultural researcher Michael J. Chandler (2012) strongly advocates that the ‘cultural wounds’ suffered by Aboriginal people over the years require ‘cultural medicines’.  KALACC's mission of cultural maintenance and encouraging participation in song, story and dance to keep culture strong is, for Mr Chandler, the foundation of positive change and Aboriginal well-being,” Mr Boyd said.

“The tour was, therefore, offered to philanthropic and corporate leaders with significant interest in Aboriginal community well-being. The depth of participation in cultural activity at the festival, across languages and ages, is incredible.

“The community benefits are clear to see.  There was no shortage of interest to attend the tour.  However, participation numbers are limited and it can be hard for some to commit to a week out of mobile range.”

Mr Boyd said the knowledge gained by tour participants was unique, starting from the welcome event in Broome to observing the AGM of the Kimberley Land Council, KALACC and Kimberley Language Resource Centre.

“The Nulungu Research Institute provided terrific background research and an explanation regarding the significance of the festival,” Mr Boyd said. “There were also a number of very personal and unique experiences we heard of – life changing experiences for some. 

“Generally speaking, the tour party was highly impressed by the best practice governance, leadership and negotiation displayed, particularly throughout the AGMs we were privileged to sit in on.  In addition, the depth of Kimberley culture and art visible was extraordinary. The traditional dancing each evening was a rare privilege to witness.”

Mr Boyd said he was reminded of the “goodwill that exists in both the philanthropic and corporate sectors to improve the challenges faced by many remote Aboriginal communities”. 

“I was also reminded of the urgent need for this support,” he said.

“The governance and political processes across the Kimberley are very strong.  A wonderful opportunity exists for more philanthropic and corporate organisations to engage in the Kimberley, build strong local relationships and long successful partnerships.

Participants on the tour gained deeper knowledge and understanding of remote Kimberley communities and what their challenges are, as well as establishing relationships that could lead to funding partnerships to support these communities in the future. 

“As an event which is closed to the general public and remotely located, the special access, unique learning opportunities and personal contacts made available to us made for a powerful experience,” said attendee Paula Thomson of the Portland House Foundation.

“The intrinsic link between land, language, culture and well-being was a strong take-home message.”

Trevor Thomas of John T. Reid Charitable Trusts said the experience had provided new understandings of how support for the people of the region could work better.

“The KALACC festival provided a fantastic window into the vibrant culture of the different Kimberley language groups.,” Mr Thomas said.

“The ability to experience first-hand the celebration of land, law and culture of the region was a privilege. While there are many challenges facing indigenous communities in the region, the ability to hear leaders articulating a vision for a better future was inspiring and moving. I came away with a more nuanced and personal understanding of the dynamics at work in remote communities.”

Annie Grindrod, also of John T. Reid Charitable Trusts said, “We were able to experience the vastness of the country, the difficulties of service delivery and hear of the significant challenges particularly for young people in the region.”

www.creativepartnershipsaustralia.com.au

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