Council supports Aboriginal housing, community development and tourism projects

Eden and Bega LALCs have won funding from the Aboriginal Community Housing Investment Fund to deliver housing for Aboriginal community in Eden, Bombala, Bega and Tarraganda. The project will deliver nine or 10 dwellings by June 30, 2023.

Eden LALC was awarded funding through NSW Government Regional Growth, Environment and Tourism Fund to construct the first section of the Bundian Way from Jigamy to Fisheries Beach and Twofold Aboriginal Corporation won funding to upgrade the campground at Jigamy.

Bega LALC has also won a Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund grant for a community workshop in Bega. These projects also have delivery deadlines of June 30, 2023.

In a report to council, director community, environment and planning Alice Howe said the Bega, Eden and Merrimans Aboriginal Liaison Committee discussed constraints around the delivery of a number of grant funded projects at a meeting on March 1.

"These constraints include the relatively short timeframes to deliver the projects and the cost escalations that have occurred over the period since the grant application was developed, and the delivery timeframe," Dr Howe said.

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She said that LALCs had requested council provide support to deliver these projects in the form of prioritising development assessment of the projects and waiving associated development assessment fees.

The proposal will reduce the income council receives from the proposed developments. The combined capital value of the projects subject to development assessment is estimated to be $10.4 million, which equates to lost revenue to council of around $200,000, Dr Howe explained.

As well as agreeing to waive the fees, council said it would give priority development assessment (along with bushfire rebuilds and employment generating development) to the projects.

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Dr Howe said there were risks that LALCs would expect council to support fee waivers in the future and also risks that the LALCs were seen to be receiving preferential treatment. However Dr Howe said these risks should be considered in the context of the benefits the projects bring to the community in terms of affordable housing, community development and tourism infrastructure.

Council unanimously agreed to publicly exhibit as required its intent to waive development assessment and principal certifying authority fees, including section 7.11, section 7.12 and section 64 developer contributions, for the following projects following the required exhibition period: