The Liberal/National O’Farrell Government is looking to scrap the Community Building Partnership Grants as part of cuts they intend to make in the upcoming Budget.
These are the projects in South Sydney that the Community Building Partnership Grants funded in the past two years:
- A garden and play area at Froebel Alexandria Bilingual Early Learning Centre ($24k)
- A cover for the outdoor 25m pool at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, Redfern ($112k)
- Conversion of garage into office & meeting space, Fact Tree Youth Centre, Waterloo ($50k)
- Air conditioning for the Exodus Foundation Youth Centre, Redfern ($13k)
- Bathroom renovations at St George Cathedral, Redfern ($42k)
- Community Arts Centre renovation, South Sydney Youth Services, Redfern ($78k)
- Constructing a meeting room for families at SDN Children Services, Redfern ($35k)
- Refurbish the Alexandria Scout Hall, Alexandria ($13k)
- Electrical upgrade to canteen and mobile PA system, Alexandria Rovers ($20k)
All up, the Community Building Partnership Grants are a tiny portion of the NSW Budget, but they make a huge difference to the community groups. So many organisations have been overjoyed to receive a grant, and many say to me that they never could have raised the money any other way.
If the O’Farrell Government axes this program in the name of savings, it will be a mean-spirited and pointless exercise. I suspect it will only be done in the name of politics – that is, a Liberal/National Government not wanting to continue a popular and effective Labor initiative.
