The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised the Armidale Regional Council (ARC) that the $5.4m grant received to build the first stage of the New England Rail Trail has been withdrawn. NEMA is the Federal Labour Government body tasked with administering the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program (BSBR).
Mayor Sam Coupland said "I am gutted that a grant already awarded on the basis of merit, and backed by the community, has been withdrawn. What frustrates me the most is the absurd amount of time NEMA consumed stringing ARC along and effectively running 'down the clock' on the grant, wasting Council time and ratepayer resources. The lack of urgency makes a mockery of the entire process."
"It took NEMA 13 months, from 27 June 2023 through until 13 June 2024, to consider changes to the project and in that time personnel changes at NEMA meant the decision maker changed three times.
Throughout this process, ARC followed up NEMA at least monthly and when meetings were granted we would discover another change in personnel and we would move back to square one again. Had NEMA been even remotely responsive ARC would have had more than enough time to do what was required to deliver the first stage of the Trail."
ARC has submitted other grant applications to complete the 67km Armidale – Ben Lomond Section of the New England Rail Trail to the Federal Government. Mayor Coupland said "Building the Armidale to Ben Lomond section of the New England Rail Trail remains a key focus of ARC and the current council, to deliver genuine adventure tourism as well as providing a significant amenity for our residents. Our $21.1m grant application has progressed to the final stage of the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program and we expect to hear the outcome of this application in coming weeks."
