Ahead of the 2025 Federal Election, St.Giles has received matching commitments of $3.74 million dollars funding from the federal Labor and Liberal parties to develop the liprini nayri “Good House” project.
The redevelopment of the former Newstead Heights School into a learning and lifestyle centre, complete with a fully accessible hydrotherapy pool, had been marked as a project of regional significance and these funding announcements guarantee the project will go ahead.
Tasmanian Minister for Disability Services Jo Palmer MLC, was the first to commit to the project, with the Tasmanian state government agreeing to fund 50% of the project conditional on the remaining funds being secured.
In February Bass MP Bridget Archer announced that an elected Coalition government would fund the remaining half of the project.
At the time Mrs Archer said that she had been working for a long period of time to seek funding avenues to make this project a reality.
“St Giles is such a valued and respected place for northern Tasmanians. This was evident in response to a recent survey I conducted calling on the federal government to commit funding required to construct the Liprini Nayri Learning and Lifestyle Centre,” Mrs Archer said.
The weekend Labor candidate for Bass Jess Teesdale was accompanied by Federal housing minister Clare O’Neil and Senator Helen Polley to announce that a re-elected Labor government would also match the Coalitions 50% funding commitment.
“This organisation has such an incredibly proud history of supporting people right across regional and Northern Tasmania and we want to back in their efforts,” Ms O’Neil said.
St.Giles CEO Honni Pitt welcomed the announcement, as these commitments provide the certainty the organisation requires to begin work on the redevelopment.
“The ability to expand our services to the property next door enables us to broaden our depth of service and also add additional services, particularly hydrotherapy,” Ms Pitt said.
Built in the 1980’s through the fundraising efforts of St.Giles, The Newstead Heights School was handed back to St.Giles in 2023 after the Government funded services offered were moved to the Northern Support School in Ravenswood.
