❓ A parliamentary question regarding a traineeship program for regional areas, focusing on eligibility criteria, funding allocation, and justification for supporting Local Government Authorities (LGAs). The Minister's response clarifies eligibility, addresses an oversight, and explains the program's rationale.

AnsweredQoN 1886Legislative Council

Asked

20 February 2019

Member

Portfolio

Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Ports; Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to your media statement of 23 January 2019 titled ‘Traineeship call for regional areas’, and I ask: (a) what is the criteria that established Local Government Authority (LGA) eligibility to the funds; (b) which Local Governments are eligible for funding; (c) why was the Shire of Narrogin not originally included as eligible when the announcement was made; (d) please table the funding guidelines and application form for funding; (e) who did the Minister consult with in establishing the revised funding guidelines and in particular the LGA eligibility; (f) of the $2 million announced, how much funding will be made available for grants; (g) what will the remainder of the funding be allocated to; (h) how does the Minister justify the need for traineeship support to LGA’s when 13 of the 23 eligible LGA’s have annual budgets of $12 million or more and one with a budget approaching $50 million; (i) how did the Minister establish the need for LGA to be supported in this way; and (j) did the Minister consider establishing a dedicated program within the Country Local Government Fund if funding was indeed justified for this purpose?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

2 April 2019

Responded by

Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Ports; Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade

Response time

8 days

(a) To be eligible, a Local Government Authority must be located within a Regional Development Commission area and not have a CRC located within its boundary.  As the focus was on supporting smaller regional communities the large regional centres were excluded.
(b)
Local Government Authorities eligible for funding
Shire of Capel
Shire of Carnamah
Shire of Carnarvon
Shire of Chapman Valley
Shire of Chittering
Shire of Collie
Shire of Cuballing
Shire of Dardanup
Shire of Esperance
Shire of Exmouth
Shire of Kojonup
Shire of Mount Magnet
Shire of Murchison
Shire of Narrogin
Shire of Northam
Shire of Sandstone
Shire of Tammin
Shire of Three Springs
Shire of Trayning
Shire of Victoria Plains
Shire of Wiluna
Shire of Woodanilling
Shire of Yalgoo
(c)   This was an oversight and was rectified as soon as identified.
(d) [See Tabled Papers Nos:       ]
(e)   The funding guidelines were prepared by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development following a review of the CRC program in 2018. The revised program was designed to increase opportunity by allowing regional local governments to apply. A number of regional councils have expressed interest in participating.
(f)   $2 million
(g)   Not applicable.
(h)   As CRCs are not equally distributed across regional WA, some communities have not had the ability to access these training funds.
(i)   Refer to (e) above.
(j)    No, the Country Local Government Fund is fully allocated.

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