Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick welcomes tens of millions of dollars of infrastructure spending into Hammond announced in Tuesday’s State Budget.

Treasurer Rob Lucas said while delivering the Budget “We’re building our economy, roads, schools, a better health system and our regions – and all this activity leads to more South Australian jobs.

Mr Pederick said “The Marshall Liberal Government is delivering on it’s 2018 Election commitments with infrastructure projects in Health, Education and Rural Roads”.

Some of the highlights of the Budget for Hammond are:

• $1.1b over 8 years for Regional Road upgrades and transport infrastructure including $143m for additional overtaking lanes and shoulder sealing including to reinstate speed limits on the Brown’s Well and Ngarkat Highways. 
• $250m Princes Highway upgrade including widening and further overtaking lanes
• $14m for road works and infrastructure to support the relocation and rebuild of Thomas Foods near Murray Bridge plus $10m for utilities
• Partnering with the Federal Government to provide $15.8m in funding towards a new state-of-the-art Visitor Centre at Monarto Zoo
• $7m for Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital Emergency Dept including $4m to be spent in 19/20 financial year
• New CFS station build for Tailem Bend in 19/20 financial year
• $185m over 7 years for capital upgrades to government schools for the transition of Year 7 into high school including $20m capital upgrade for Murray Bridge High School, $5.7m in 19/20 financial year
• $80m for High Speed Internet into every government school
• $1.8m over 5 years for continuation of waiving of fees for dependents of visa holders to attend government schools in Regional areas
• $7.5m over three years for a Red Meat and Wool Growth Program, partner with industry, private sector and universities to: apply innovation in farm practices; support business planning; build industry resilience to biosecurity incidents and adverse events (including drought); improve data based decision making, allowing stock to be electronically tagged and tracked through the supply chain and improving feedback to the grower on animal performance.
• $25m for replacement of 1600kms of the ageing Dog Fence
• $43m funding package to promote tourism to market Adelaide and our regions to the world
• $24m over 5 years for Racing Industry support through infrastructure and for strategic projects

“With finance being so affordable there has never been a better time for this massive infrastructure spend in Hammond and the State”.