Extra Jobs and Community Facilities for Bushfire Affected Areas

The Rudd Government will create or retain 129 jobs in communities affected by the February 7th bushfires and deliver $4.8 million in community projects in Flowerdale, Kinglake, Marysville and Bunyip Ridge.

This funding is part of the commitments made by the Government to Senator Bob Brown from the Australian Greens and Senator Steve Fielding from Family First.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the projects, funded through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations’ Get Communities Working and Local Jobs components of the Jobs Fund, would create employment in areas that had been hit by the devastating fires.

“The Rudd Government is committed to supporting communities as they rebuild after the fires, and creating jobs in those areas to help their economic recovery,” Ms Gillard said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction, Bill Shorten, said that the projects would be welcomed by locals who were working hard to rebuild their communities.

“These projects have been driven and developed by local communities, who believe they will be valuable facilities for the future.

“The efforts of residents on bushfire-hit areas in the wake of the fires have been inspirational, and we are determined to keep standing by them as they move forward with their lives.”

Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding said the Rudd government should be congratulated for its ongoing support to the victims of ‘Black Saturday’.

“I was in Kinglake a week after the fires went through and I know these projects will be greatly appreciated by the communities,” Senator Fielding said.

The projects are:

Flowerdale Community House and Memorial Garden: $1.57 million for the creation of a permanent house for the Flowerdale Community House, incorporating a memorial garden. The house will be used for training, community learning and social activities. This project will create or retain 21 jobs.

Bollygum Park Community Project: $1.08 million to develop a park in Kinglake to be used by the community for recreation including an adventure playground facility. This project will create or retain 12 jobs.

Bunyip Ridge Bushfire Recovery: $851,000 to replace farm and community infrastructure lost in Bunyip Ridge Victoria. This project will create or retain 48 jobs.

Conservation and Land Management Traineeships: $138,000 to engage two trainees to support the additional workload created by the bushfires.

The previously announced $1.12 million in funding to turn the car museum in Marysville into a community and business centre, with co-funding from the Victorian Government, is also included in the $4.8 million figure. This project will create or retain 48 jobs.

The $650 million Jobs Fund is supporting and creating jobs and increasing skills through innovative projects that build and improve community infrastructure across the country.

Through the Jobs Fund the Government is investing in one-off capital projects and providing seed funding for social enterprises.