THE Grenfell community has turned out to thank Member for Riverina Michael McCormack for delivering their desperately-needed medical centre.
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Mr McCormack on Friday announced Weddin Shire Council would receive a $950,000 grant through the Building Better Regions Fund for the $2.75 million project. He travelled to Grenfell on Saturday to celebrate with locals at the building site in Main Street and to thank them for their passion and commitment to improving health services in their district.
“It just makes good, common sense to have a facility like this built in a town like Grenfell,” Mr McCormack said. “Why shouldn’t Weddin Shire, why shouldn’t Grenfell have as good, if not better, health facilities as anywhere else in Australia?”
The positive impact of the medical centre on Weddin Shire’s economy was touched on by Mr McCormack, Weddin Shire mayor Mark Liebich and general manager Glenn Carroll. Mr McCormack said that as Australia’s Small Business Minister, he knew that when people shopped locally their money circulated within the local community.
He said state-of-the-art health facilities, such as the Grenfell medical centre, were crucial for country towns. “Because we do have an ageing population, but we also want to attract and keep young families,” Mr McCormack said. Mr McCormack declared the Grenfell medical centre “delivered”.
“That is what The Nationals do in government; that is why we work so hard, because we are totally, wholly and solely committed to the regions.” Mr McCormack said he was looking forward to the first sod being turned for the medical centre’s construction and being at the official opening to enjoy the day with the community.
Councillor Liebich said it was a fantastic day for Weddin Shire. “The nearly five years of waiting has resulted in success; our new medical centre will finally be built,” Cr Liebich said. “This medical centre will help invigorate our local businesses.”
Cr Liebich said the medical centre would make people want to come to Grenfell, knowing there were excellent health facilities there. He thanked Mr McCormack for delivering the vital federal government funding.
“This is one committed local member who we are privileged to have,” Cr Liebich said. Mr Carroll said Mr McCormack had been Grenfell’s federal member for a short time but had made a massive impact in what he had been able to achieve, including $425,000 for the Blacks Bridge replacement at Greenethorpe.
Grenfell Health Council chairman Peter Moffitt said the medical centre would be a great facility. “This is just a fantastic thing to happen,” Mr Moffitt said.
