TAMWORTH is putting itself at the top of the list as the deputy premier says he is ready to spend big regionally in this year’s state budget.
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Mayor Col Murray has thrown out the welcome-mat to NSW Nationals’ leader John Barilaro to come to town and talk about the city’s plans for the future.
The invite comes after the deputy premier boasted to The Land to have more than $200m of funding at the centre of this year’s budget to “turbocharge” regional centres.
Spurned by decisions to send the TAFE digital hub to Armidale and the Destination Country headquarters to Dubbo, Cr Murray reckons it’s time for Tamworth to get its share.
In a rare mayoral minute, Cr Murray said the “NSW government looks set to release more than $1 billion” as part of the plan and preempted “exciting times” ahead for the city.
Cr Murray was particularly buoyed by Mr Barilaro’s reference to Tamworth’s plan for international freight through the airport.
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“Council has previously had discussions about Tamworth’s potential to become an international air freight hub, linked by rail and road, with the Co-ordinator of Regional Infrastructure and also the Deputy Secretary, Regional NSW, Department of Premier and Cabinet,” Cr Murray said.
“Council also hopes to have talks in coming weeks with the Deputy Secretary Freight, Strategy and Planning, Transport for NSW.
“What is also particularly pleasing about the deputy premier’s recent comments is that the government acknowledges that new jobs drive population growth and that investment and infrastructure are the catalyst.”
Mr Barilaro said the war-chest would be a “game-changer” for regional cities like Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Cr Mark Rodda said this was a flow on from a game-changing event in state politics, late last year.
“The ultimate game-changer was the Orange by-election,” Cr Rodda said.
“The people of Orange have done all of rural NSW a service by reminding the state government that rural people matter.”