STATE Liberal Leader Steven Marshall will hold a “politics in the pub” session at Jens Hotel tonight to mingle with constituents and spruik the party’s election commitments.
His visit coincides with the party announcing a $150m Regional Growth Fund to support job creation and boost regional investment.
This will form part of the Liberals’ Recharging Our Regions plan, which aims to create regional jobs, invest in regional infrastructure, drive down the cost of living and improve frontline services.
Mount Gambier Liberal candidate Craig Marsh urged people to visit Jens Hotel tonight – between 5pm and 6.30pm – for the “meet and greet”.
Mr Marsh said a “breakfast with the leader” will also be held at the Commodore on the Park tomorrow morning.
“The State Liberals are committed to improving our regions and that starts by creating more regional jobs,” Mr Marshall said yesterday.
“Many of our regions have a stagnant or declining population and young people are leaving our regions in droves because of the lack of employment opportunities.
“That’s why we will invest $150m to create jobs and grow our regions, which form the backbone of our economy and are crucial to the future prosperity of our state.”
He said the fund would be delivered over 10 years with a clear mandate to facilitate new economic opportunities that would not come to fruition without assistance to build and strengthen regional communities.
“It will advantage small businesses and empower local communities by ensuring grants are awarded to projects that genuinely need additional funding to become a reality,” Mr Marshall said.
“This will ensure taxpayers and our regions receive the greatest benefit on their investment.”
Mr Marshall said his party would work with communities and businesses to help deliver important local projects rather than waste taxpayers’ dollars on bureaucracy and chasing cheap headlines.
“We will also increase investment in regional infrastructure through our Royalties for Regions program and will improve regional health facilities and governance.”
But State Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis yesterday slammed the $150m commitment, claiming it placed a cap on regional funding.
“All the Liberals have announced is they will match what Labor is already doing,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“The State Government already invests $15m each year through the Regional Development Fund, so what the Liberals have announced is nothing new.”
Mr Koutsantonis said the Labor Government’s industry attraction agency had created about 2000 jobs in the regions and it was also creating jobs in renewable energy in regional areas.
He said Mr Marshall had pledged to threaten those jobs by scrapping the renewable energy target.
