Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I acknowledge Michael Gunner as well. I thank the member for Fowler for her question about the Stronger Communities grants. As the honourable member and probably all members would be aware, round 8 of the Stronger Communities Program is rolling out right now in our communities. Members of parliament and community groups will be hearing back around now about the success or otherwise of the proposals they have put forward.

Round 8 was announced in the March budget of 2022, the last budget under those opposite, but the budget didn't pass the parliament. So what we did—I pay tribute to my ministerial colleague—was to budget for round 8 in the October budget last year, and that's why it's rolling out right now. The matter of future rounds of Stronger Communities will be the subject, no doubt, of future budget deliberations, but there was no allocation for Stronger Communities beyond round 8. Obviously, in the usual responsible and methodical way, we will go through the merits of this, and we will make a decision in due course.

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