NSW Government allocates regional funding while Wollongong misses incentives

The New South Wales Government has allocated $50 million through its Active Regional Communities Package to fund 156 projects across the state. On the North Coast, $12.4 million will support 38 community projects. Notable initiatives include $997,917 for Northern Rivers Performing Arts to transform an old Lismore factory into a flood-resilient creative hub, $1 million for a new grandstand at Piggabeen Sports Complex in the Tweed, $1 million for the Mudyala BRIDGE Program in Clarence Valley, and $1 million for a community conservation hub in Port Macquarie-Hastings.

Separately, Wollongong City Council missed out on a share of $73 million in state incentive funding due to delays in development application assessments. While the government set a target of 99 days for approvals, Wollongong averaged 103 days. In contrast, Shellharbour City Council met the criteria with an average of 58 days, qualifying it to submit projects for grants of up to $3 million. Wollongong officials noted that while complexity can influence timeframes, they are working toward improved assessment speeds.