![Mr Anderson with the defibrillator at Scully Park Regional Sporting Precinct. Picture supplied Mr Anderson with the defibrillator at Scully Park Regional Sporting Precinct. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36FM9qHpEAtS8daVXYFgHBA/18e0257b-0b78-4185-bd16-ad719a5248da.jpeg/r0_0_1170_2062_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Of all the grant programs governments make available to our community groups, the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program may be the most important.
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We hope that defibrillators at sporting fields will never need to be used, but when someone goes into cardiac arrest, medical experts tell us that the first eight minutes is critical, meaning those on the ground will be responsible for saving a life.
And having all the tools you need to save that life is so important, which is why I have always been a big supporter of the Local sport Defibrillator Grant Program.
We've seen the importance of defibrillators at sporting grounds here in Tamworth, when a life was saved back in 2016 thanks to the accessibility of the equipment, and the fast actions of those on ground.
It can happen any time, any where and to anyone, which is why it's so important that our sporting fields have the trained volunteers and the equipment necessary to give appropriate first aid.
Ove the past few years, several organisations such as Tamworth Hockey Association, the Oxley Bowlo, Tamworth Netball Association, West Tamworth Tennis Club, Tamworth Clay Target club, and more have been successful in winning a grant to buy a defibrillator.
I want to see more, which is why I am encouraging local sporting groups and organisations to get their applications in for this round of the Local Sport Defibrillator Program.
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact my office at tamworth@parliament.nsw.gov.au or by phone at (02) 6766 1422.
Alternatively, you can find the information online by following the links on the www.sport.nsw.gov.au website.
Freight train now back in Tamworth
After six years of planning, a $35.4 million investment by the former Coalition Government, and an $8 million investment from Qube, freight rail has returned to Tamworth.
The intermodal rail line presents a real opportunity for businesses, producers and manufacturers to tap into the advantages that freight rail can bring to our region.
Already, we're seeing the benefits of having the rail line in place, with strong business interest in the Tamworth Global Gateway Park, which is driving private investment in the region and boosting our economy.
This is a good thing for Tamworth as it diversifies our economy, making us more resilient to the dry times and ensuring our people have a job available to them.
Tamworth Regional Council, Qube Logistics, and Transport for NSW deserve recognition for their work to get freight back on rail in the Northwest and I thank them for their work.