While 18 projects across the Maitland area will take a share of $200,000 in state government community grants, the electorate has again missed out on an extra $100,000 reserved for areas of high unemployment as a result of outdated data.
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The Community Building Partnership Program handed out $200,000 to each electorate earlier this month. In Maitland, groups including Metford Recreation Reserve and the Federation Centre received thousands to upgrade, repair or continue their community work.
The grants program assigned an additional $100,000 for electorates that suffered from high unemployment.
Despite more than two years of higher-than-average unemployment, Maitland was not considered eligible for the additional $100,000.
However Newcastle, Port Stephens and much of the Central Coast qualified for the bonus.
Since mid-2014, Maitland’s unemployment rate has been higher than the state and national average.
The latest data puts Maitland’s unemployment rate at 6.3 per cent while the state average sits at 5.1 per cent.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet told Fairfax Media the 48 “disadvantaged electorates” were identified using figures from the 2011 Census.
“[This is] the most recent data available,” the statement said.
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison criticised the government for denying funding to all 22 of the electorate’s applicants.
“It’s not fair that our communities are getting two thirds of the funding allocated to other electorates because we were in a mining boom five years ago,” she said.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald rejected Ms Aitchison’s comments.
“[The grants] are important,” he said.
“[But] what is more important, and of immediate help to the people of Maitland, is a strong economy and opportunities for the upcoming generations.”
