Mining prominent in NSW Government Economic Development Strategy

The NSW Government has released its Economic Development Strategy for Regional NSW, with mining featuring prominently.

 

Over the last two years the NSW Minerals Council has worked hard to ensure mining is a central element of the NSW Government’s approach to economic management, so this is a very welcome development. It also demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to mining as a key industry for the state of NSW.

 

The Strategy outlines five goals to enable regional economic development, including the first goal – to promote key regional sectors and regional competitiveness.

 

Increasing the value of NSW’s mineral industry and energy sector is the second priority nominated to achieve this goal, reflecting the higher prominence being given to mining by the NSW Government over the next twelve months.

 

Strong government support for the NSW mining industry has a significant impact on people across regional NSW. Take the Upper Hunter, where in addition to thousands working in mining directly, there are 4,000 local businesses in the mining supply chain. Support from the government means support for these people and many others who are experiencing a degree of uncertainty due to problems with the NSW planning system and lengthy waiting periods for the assessment of mining projects. 

 

“When local mining is not supported, and when workers are let down by a planning and regulatory system, that makes tough times even tougher”, said NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee today in the Newcastle Herald.

 

The Minerals Industry Action Plan for NSW has now been finalised and presented to the NSW Government, which will also help ensure mining features prominently in future government deliberations on the development of the NSW economy.

 

The Economic Development Strategy can be found online here.

 

And have you spoken out at voiceformining.com.au to tell your local political candidates you support a strong future for our industry? Now is the time to act, with the NSW State election just over a week away.