Electorate Allowance Grants

Last year in the media there was criticism of MPs who receive their allocated Electorate Allowance and keep it effectively as part of their salary.

The Electorate Allowance is an annual amount of money, ranging from $36,000 to $46,000 depending on the size of each electorate, which an MP can use at their discretion to fund projects or support organisations (or indeed keep for other purposes such as election spending). If the allowance is not used in certain tax exempt ways it is treated as part of an MP’s taxable income.

Soon after I was elected I promised the community that I would use the vast majority of my annual Electorate Allowance of $46,000 each year to support organisations within our region.  True to that promise, here is a list of the organisations and clubs that I have proudly supported over the last 12 months.

• Anglesea Community House, build a co-working space - $2500
• Apollo Bay Sailing Club, new sailing dinghy - $1500
• Apollo Bay RSL, new flagpole and surrounds - $2000
• Bannockburn Cricket Club, support - $1000
• Bannockburn & District Bowls Club, support - $1000
• Barrabool Cricket Club, support - $500
• Bellarine Ecumenical Choir, support - $125
• Bellarine Historical Society, digitisation of pictures - $1000
• Bellarine Landcare, tree planting program - $850
• Birregurra F&N Club, support - $1100
• Compassionate Hearts of the Bellarine, office equipment - $2500
• Feed Me Bellarine, support for COVID Relief - $3500
• Forrest District Neighbourhood House, community lunches - $300
• Forrest Gateway Conference on resilience and fire safety - $2500
• Inverleigh Dachshund Derby - $100
• Inverleigh Football & Netball Club, support - $770
• Leopold Bowls Club, support - $500
• Maude Recreation Reserve, potable water connection - $2500
• Meredith Angling Club, clubroom improvements - $2000
• Parents Social Club Anglesea PS, bike enclosure - $3000
• Portarlington Food Assistance Program, food support - $850
• Portarlington Football & Netball Club, support - $1250
• Queenscliff-Point Lonsdale Uniting Church, air conditioning - $2000
• Surf Coast Animal Rescue - $1500
• Torquay Improvement Association Inc., wall replacement - $3000
• Winchelsea F&N Club, support - $750
• Individual youth ambassadors, young sportspeople - $750
• School book awards and Book Week vouchers for schools - $2570
• Seniors Christmas morning teas - $1825

This story was originally published in Libby's July Newsletter. Please click here to subscribe to the email newsletter.