FEDERAL FUNDING DELIVERS NEW GOALPOSTS FOR TINANA FOOTBALL CLUB

Soccer players in Tinana have new aluminium goalposts on the main field at their home ground on Gympie Road, thanks to a $2,995 grant from Round 8 of the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities Program.

Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien said that the Tinana Football Club was one of 18 not-for-profit organisations that shared $150,000 in funding from the Stronger Communities Program to purchase equipment or undertake small capital projects that helped strengthen their communities.

“Small grants can make a big difference to local communities and the Tinana Football Club’s new goal posts will help give new life to the club,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The former Coalition Government set up the Stronger Communities Program to boost local economies, enhance community organisations, and deliver social benefits for regional communities.”

Tinana Football Club President Alan Midgley said that the grant funding had allowed the club to upgrade the old goal posts and improve safety for players and officials.

“Our main field at our home grounds at Tinana had non galvanised steel goalposts of unknown age that had deteriorating rapidly. We used the funding to remove and dispose of the old posts and replace them with aluminium posts,” Mr Midgley said.

The Stronger Communities Program was discontinued in the Labor Government’s May 2023 Budget and replaced by the Growing Regions Program which has grants available from $500,000 up to $15 million, but a 50 per cent co-contribution is required by the applicant.

“Unfortunately, the Growing Regions Program’s minimum grant threshold has been set so high at $500,000, many local and community organisations will be ineligible to apply for this funding,” Mr O’Brien said.

Mr O’Brien also said the Liberal and National Coalition is calling on the Government to deliver a regional development program that can help local community, sporting, and ex-service organisations to deliver small scale projects and provide more opportunities in their local communities.