Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Regional Development and Local Government today announced the Rudd Government would offer nearly $3.5 million for improvements to community and emergency relief centres in the Indigo Shire in Victoria.

Community facilities in Yackandandah, Stanley and Beechworth will be upgraded to serve as emergency staging centres.

The Rudd Government is funding practical projects to help bushfire-affected areas prepare for and rebuild after emergency events.

The redevelopments will also deliver high quality community facilities for local residents.

This funding is part of our $800 million Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program - the largest one-off investment in local infrastructure in Australia's history.

Through the Rudd Government's economic stimulus plan, we are investing in major projects such as this to support local jobs and economies during the global recession.

The project, which is being managed by the Indigo Shire Council, will upgrade three community facilities.

A new multi-purpose community facility will be developed at the Baarmutha Park sports complex in Beechworth. This building will also provide an emergency relief facility.

The memorial hall in Yackandandah will be upgraded for community organisations, emergency relief activities, and community events. The project will also support the development of Yackandandah Sports Park as an emergency staging centre.

The Stanley Soldiers Memorial Hall will be upgraded to meet community needs and deliver a better facility for the co-ordination and distribution of emergency services.

The upgrade will also maintain the Stanley Recreation Reserve site as a sports and recreation venue.

This funding builds on nearly $435,000 that the Rudd Labor Government has already delivered for 28 local projects in Indigo Shire this year.

Nearly 70 per cent of the stimulus plan is infrastructure with more than 3,000 projects being funded nationally through the Government's Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program to support local jobs and deliver long-lasting community benefits.