NEW FUNDING OF $3.6 MILLION FOR WHITSUNDAYS INFRASTRUCTURE

_{16 March, 2010}

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In Parliament today Local Government Minister Desley Boyle said the Great Barrier Reef and the residents of the Whitsundays would be the big winners of funding for sewage treatment infrastructure in the region.
"The Bligh Government is providing $3.6 million in new funding to support the upgrade of the Proserpine sewage treatment infrastructure," Ms Boyle said.
"This funding will help ensure the plant conforms to the State Government's strict environmental standards."
Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt welcomed the funding, saying the project was important to local residents but would also have significant benefits for the local economy.
"The Proserpine plant was constructed in 1989 and the cost of upgrading the plant would have been a big burden on Whitsunday Regional Council. The Bligh Government's support was very much welcomed,” Ms Jarratt said.
"This is a high priority project for our region and its benefits will be long term.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management and the Department of Infrastructure and Planning will be working with Council to ensure this vital piece of infrastructure meets environmental standards.
"The Bligh Government is working in partnership with Councils to build the infrastructure for tomorrow's Queensland - infrastructure that will help communities meet the challenges that population growth brings,” Ms Jarratt said.
Ms Boyle said today's announcement for the Whitsundays came on top of more than $100 million the Bligh Government is providing to Councils across Queensland in 2009-10 to support the upgrade of sewage treatment plants.
Media contact:
Jan Jarratt
4945 3343
whitsunday@parliament.qld.gov.au

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