
THE State opposition has criticised the State government for "short-changing" the Shire of Bruce Rock in its attempt to replace the town's only supermarket after it was destroyed by fire in March 2020.
Opposition and The Nationals WA leader Mia Davies said the Bruce Rock Shire was facing a $835,000 shortfall in funding for the supermarket redevelopment after a fire razed the town's only grocery store to the ground at the start of the pandemic.
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As part of its efforts to fund the supermarket rebuild, in October last year, the Shire submitted an application to the State government's Regional Economic Development (RED) grant program, which is designed to support community-driven projects that create long-term economic growth and job sustainability in our regions.
The government has been criticised after the Shire was only awarded $105,000 of the $250,000 in funding it sought from the program in early February.
Ms Davies was critical of the government and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan for not providing enough support to a community that had faced its fair share of adversity, with recent fires also impacting the region.
Ms Davies said she had written to Ms MacTiernan and raised the matter in parliament, asking the minister to reconsider and commit to the full amount requested by the council, or find alternative funding.
"The community has every right to be angry and disappointed, they have been let down by a government that simply doesn't care enough to review their decision and dig into their massive budget surplus," Ms Davies said.
Despite accumulating $318,000 from community donations, a $1.4 million grant from the Federal government and being in the process of submitting an application for a $750,000 grant for the Federal government's Building Better Regions Fund, the council is still facing a significant shortfall for the project and as a result was reportedly seeking a Treasury loan.
Ms Davies said the State government had left the heavy lifting to the Federal government, local ratepayers and community members to fundraise to replace their only supermarket.
"Compounding the challenges they face on this project, they are now recovering from devastating fires that have impacted their entire community," Ms Davies said.
"They need more than words of praise thrown about by Labor ministers - Bruce Rock needs a hand to rebuild and recover.
"The offer of a Treasury loan is insulting when the government is sitting on a massive budget surplus and has slashed Royalties for Regions."
In parliament earlier this month, Ms Davies said the lack of a proper supermarket had meant people were leaving the town to do their main shopping load, which affected the businesses of the town's local butcher and chemist.
"That is because the store is temporary; it is in the town hall and it is not offering the full range of goods," Ms Davies said.
Bruce Rock Pharmacy's managing pharmacist Dennis Kian supported Ms Davies statement when he spoke to Farm Weekly earlier this week.
"A lot of people are travelling to places like Merredin to do their shopping now and, as a result, they are getting things like their medication from out of town as well - so it has definitely had an adverse effect on our business," Mr Kian said.
"We are obviously quite keen to see the supermarket rebuilt, not only for us as a business but for our local community as well."
Responding to questions about the State government's input into the Bruce Rock's supermarket redevelopment, Ms MacTiernan said the Shire had been "quite happy with the contribution made".
"We provided the RED grant funding and we're also assisting them in getting a low interest loan," Ms MacTiernan said.
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"We think this will be a viable project and we have made our contribution to it."
Farm Weekly contacted the Shire of Bruce Rock for comment but it declined to comment.
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