The debt fund was the first of two unveiled by the coalition today. In Bathurst the nationals were heralding a 20-billion-dollar future fund just for regional communities. The party's leader has proclaimed it'll be a legacy of his political career.
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00:00A Nationals leader determined to drive the Coalition's campaign agenda.
00:08What is the speed limit here?
00:1060.
00:11David Littleproud took to the track a plan to give infrastructure and services in the bush a $20 billion boost.
00:18Finally, there will be no more funding gaps for regional Australia.
00:21We're not going to have to fight over the scraps year after year.
00:24The Coalition would tip in $5 billion to get the Regional Australia Future Fund started.
00:30From there, a portion of the commodity windfall gains would be poured in each year.
00:35Once the fund grows to $20 billion, the Nationals leader says it will start paying out a billion dollars to regional communities a year.
00:44That's on top of existing funding for projects and programs.
00:48I came to Parliament, I came to Parliament to leave a legacy and this would be one of my greatest achievements.
00:54Councils, businesses and community groups could then compete for grants to fix potholes, increase daycare capacity, upgrade sporting and tourism facilities or grow the regional health workforce.
01:07This sort of funding is about time. Many local governments and communities are having to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure that they can keep their health and medical workforce.
01:19The funds inspired by programs like Royalties for Regions in WA and the former Coalition government's Building Better Regions Fund.
01:27That scheme was scrapped by Labor after an audit found potential pork barrelling.
01:32The Treasurer labelling this latest plan a recipe for more rorts.
01:37Well they're pure old. He does not give a rats about regional Australia.
01:41There's no question the Bush is crying out for more spending on infrastructure and services.
01:46For years the Nationals have tried to get more money from their Coalition partner for projects like roads and railways and dams.
01:54This is the latest iteration and the man behind the wheel now has the strongest sales pitch.