Broken Hill will be amongst the first communities given the chance to outline their priorities for investment with Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty at a Development Roundtable set to take place this summer.
Ensuring the needs of all communities are addressed and that all funding meets community needs, Ms Moriarty will directly engage with local Councils, businesses, community groups, and stakeholders, to hear first-hand the unique issues and solutions that arise in different regions.
In its commitments to a fresh approach towards investing in regional NSW, the state government will use the Development Roundtables to modernise the Regional Development Act – which has not been renewed in more than a decade – to be amended to safeguard regional investment.
It follows on from further commitments by the state government for regional NSW including a 2023/24 Budget announcement of a new $350 million Regional Development Trust and establishing a Regional Development Advisory Council.
“The NSW Government is committed to modernising the Regional Development Act so we can improve outcomes for regional and rural communities. I’m looking forward to these roundtables and hearing the views of a wide range of people and organisations in each unique region,” Ms Moriarty said.
“These actions and the recent 2023/24 Budget, demonstrate our government is putting the needs of regional people at the heart of our decisions. Our communities deserve this after a decade of waste and pork barrelling.
“These Development Roundtables and the recent establishment of the Regional Development Advisory Council ensure that future investment in regional communities is guided by local knowledge and expertise.”
As part of the engagement process for updating the Regional Development Act, the state government will publish an issues paper outlining the changes to the Act.
For more information on the state government’s new Regional Development approach, follow this link: https://www.nsw.gov.au/regional-nsw/regional-development-roadmap
