Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch says local sport clubs in his electorate have yet again been excluded from the NSW Government’s Local Sports Defibrillator Grant Program, preventing every sporting club in the electorate from applying for the potentially lifesaving grant.
Crouch says that as part of the program guidelines set by the NSW Government, sporting organisations in the 2260, 2250, 2251 and 2257 postcodes are excluded as they do not fall into the five lowest Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) categories.
“This move is shameful and potentially life threatening to those who play sports in the Terrigal electorate,” Crouch said.
“This is yet again a disgusting display of cost cutting and the people of the Terrigal electorate will continue to suffer under the Minns Labor Government’s budget mismanagement.”
“The Local Sports Defibrillator Grant Program has literally saved lives across our state, providing valuable funding for defibrillators to sporting clubs who need them, and to prevent all clubs in the Terrigal electorate from applying is simply shameful.”
Crouch said the Local Sports Defibrillator Grant Program was established by the former Liberal-National Government in 2018 as part of a wider move to promote access to lifesaving defibrillators at sporting fields with every electorate being eligible to apply for funding.
“In stark contrast to Labor, the former Liberal-National government made sure that every single sporting club on the Central Coast was eligible, whether they be in Kincumber or Budgewoi, every group could apply,” Crouch said.
“This has happened not once, but twice now, and it shows this government has the absolute wrong priorities and simply does not care about our community.
“The community response to this cut has been overwhelming and I echo our community’s calls – reverse this ridiculous eligibility criteria immediately,” Crouch said.