Funding boost for regional projects

Northern Queensland councils have gotten a boost from the state coffers, with a swath of project funds being approved by the state government.

The sixth round of Building our Regions funding from the state Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning department were greenlit on Tuesday, as $69m for 99 projects was approved.

Of the seven northern councils in this round of funding, the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council is the biggest winner. Two million dollars will go towards sewer rehab works. A further $2.4m is for reservoirs, algae suppression and reviewing the firefighting water supply network within the shire.

Water Minister Glenn Butcher said water and sewerage infrastructure was vital to good jobs, better services and the ongoing liveability of Queensland communities.

On the mainland, the Burdekin Shire Council will receive $2m for the Ayr microalgae wastewater treatment project.

Charters Towers ratepayers should see the benefits of about $1.76m for reticulation and sewage works.

The Mckinlay Shire Council will get about $1.8m for sewage and wastewater, and Cloncurry gets about $560,000 for electro chlorination.

The Building our Regions funding had created 3,180 jobs in regional Queensland, Mr Butcher said.

There will also be plenty of work out at Mount Isa as a result of Tuesday’s funding announcements; Four projects were boosted to the tune of about $2.3m. The Mount Isa projects are $2m for removal of network interconnections, with the remainder funding hydraulic models planning, a sewer system at Ryan Rd, and development at the long-running Gilderport subdivision.

The Townsville City Council did not receive funding in this sixth round, but had done for previous rounds.