Marginal seats say cheers to funding vows

BOTH major parties have made significant funding commitments across Tasmania’s three marginal electorates.

At liquor start-up Sanyou Baijiu, at St Leonards in Launceston, Labor announced it would dedicate a further $3.4m towards fermentation accelerator and hub FermenTasmania.

The Legana project, which previously has received $7.5m under the federal Building Better

Regions Fund, $3.6m from West Tamar Council, $1.6m of industry support and operational funding from Food Innovation Australia Ltd, is due to start construction this year.

Labor industry spokesman Richard Marles said the additional funds would enable FermenTasmania to purchase equipment and fit out its site.

Speaking on Sunday, Sanyou Baijiu co-founder Ian Sypkes said a facility such as FermenTasmania would have helped him cut his development time drastically through the provision of specialist equipment and expertise.

Meanwhile, at Westbury’s Western Tiers Distillery, Liberal candidate for Lyons Susie Bower on Sunday announced that a re-elected Coalition government would create a new national fund of up to $15m to provide grants to small to medium-sized wineries, distilleries and beer producers for the construction or upgrade of cellar door or tourism-associated facilities.

An additional $5m will also be provided through the Wine, Spirits and Craft Breweries Tourism Events program to provide up to $100,000 to tourism and local government organisations to create new events and experiences.

Liberal Braddon MP Gavin Pearce announced a re-elected Coalition government would invest $10m to upgrade and expand the Don River Railway.