Inverell-based Nationals Senator for NSW John Williams questioned Infrastructure Australia co-ordinator Michael Deegan about the funding process for the Barraba scheme, which has been lodged by the Barraba Community Development Group.

Mr Deegan said the $7 billion budget from the first round of funding has already been allocated to projects and no money remained in this round for Barraba.

Senator Williams said Mr Deegan indicated that all applications are considered against several criteria and all will be considered when this year’s Budget allocation is announced.

“I pressed the case of Barraba and the urgent need for a pipeline to be constructed from Split Rock Dam.

“For Barraba and other regional communities to grow, a decent water supply is essential”, Senator Williams said.

Meanwhile Tamworth Regional councillor Warren Woodley planned to use last night’s council meeting as a forum to push ahead with testing on the Barraba common in the hope of determining whether an underground supply could be found there.

He said if the State Government was showing no interest in solving any providing any solution for Barraba’s water woes until the testing process had been completed, the obvious answer was to hasten the process.