Prime Minister Scott Morrison took time out from his visit to Mount Panorama for the Bathurst 1000 on Sunday to travel to Blayney to announce applications for the Drought Communities Program are open.
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The $75 million project is designed to support businesses which are feeling the impact of farmers having to spend so much of their finances on feed.
Mr Morrison urged visitors to the Bathurst 1000, and the population in general, to visit rural towns to help them recover from the drought.
“Pop into Blayney and other parts of the Central West and get to enjoy what this wonderful part of Australia has to offer,” Mr Morrison said.
It keeps the hairdresser open, the mechanic open, places like this farm supply shop, and it will help us get from where we are now, to where we want to be when it’s raining again.
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison
“The government can’t make it rain, but what we can do is invest and bring forward investment in projects and services and other things that keep the money churning around in the towns.
“It keeps the hairdresser open, the mechanic open, places like this farm supply shop, and it will help us get from where we are now, to where we want to be when it’s raining again.”
Blayney mayor Scott Ferguson said that council already had a number of ideas as to where they would spend any money received.
“We’re meeting on Monday to discuss this more fully but we’ve already identified things like upgrading community bores, water storage and harvesting at the equine centre and upgrades at some of the buildings in our village’s showgrounds,” he said.
Mr Morrison was among a number of special guests who flocked to the iconic circuit for the Great Race on Sunday.
Just before the 161-lap race commenced he grabbed the opportunity to go for a flying lap in a Commodore with Mark Skaife before walking along the pre-race grid to meet some of the drivers.
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