$4 million from Bushfire Recovery Grants

What great news it was this month to have $4 million allocated from the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants to Southern Yorke Peninsula projects.

Having worked with the locals advocating for a community childcare centre in the Minlaton area and helping them with the surveying to demonstrate the dire need for such a facility in order to address workforce shortages, I am thrilled with the outcome of the $2.25 million allocation!

I am also excited for all involved with the Edithburgh Football Club facility upgrade and met with club representatives again last week to discuss how they will spend their $1.8 million allocation for the multipurpose community centre project. 

The results of Round 50 of the Active Club Program were also announced on 14 February, and pleasingly 20 local sports clubs have been successful in receiving grants of between $1,500 and $3,000 for new equipment. SYP club recipients included Curramulka Community Club, Edithburgh RSL and Bowling Club, SYP Dirt Circuit Club, Curramulka Bowling Club and Wool Bay Golf Club. 

That same week I was also pleased to attend the opening of the new lookout at Chinaman's Hill, with new viewing platforms and interpretative signage and sealed two-way access roads and new visitor car park. I'm sure visitors to this wonderful part of SYP will welcome these improvements. 

I also thank Brad Perks proprietor of Minlaton Hotel for inviting me to open their new drive-through on 24 February. It has been such a difficult time for pubs over the last two years and it was wonderful to celebrate this investment. 

Whilst we are now in caretaker mode for the 19 March State Election, I advise the 2022-23 Regional Events Fund remains open until 22 April, a terrific opportunity for local organisers to seek support ($5,000-$50,000) for any events they are planning to hold between 1 September 2022 and 30 August 2023. For further information visit the grants tab on this website. 

I was pleased to co-host a Tourism Roadshow Virtual event on 10 February with Tourism Industry Council SA CEO Shaun de Bruyn, where the value of tourism to our region was well highlighted, including the vital role of local events in attracting visitation. 

Re the election, it is expected that early and postal voting will be popular due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst I have sent out postal vote applications to all constituents, I can also advise that the Early Voting Pre-Poll Centre for our electorate will be open from 7 March (until 18 March) and will be located in Goyder St Kadina (Shop 3, behind ANZ Bank). 

Authorised and written by Fraser Ellis MP 37 Graves St Kadina SA 5554