Maitland will not be on Premier Mike Baird’s itinerary when he comes to the Hunter next week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Baird will visit Newcastle on Thursday to discuss the city’s future with stakeholders.
But a spokesman for the Premier told the Mercury that he would not visit Maitland during the trip.
He said Mr Baird had a number of other engagements organised for the Hunter visit, but would not release any more details at this time.
“The Premier has invited a number of Hunter-based community and business stakeholders to participate in a local roundtable to discuss the future of Newcastle,” the spokesman said.
“The Premier wants to hear directly from these groups about their vision for Newcastle.”
Mr Baird was last in Maitland on official business in July when he gave an update on the status of the new Lower Hunter hospital to be built at Metford.
The Premier’s latest visit comes as the opposition continues to accuse the government of ignoring the region.
Opposition Leader John Robertson said it had been more than 100 days since Mr Baird had promised to go door-to-door to restore trust in the Liberal Party among Hunter residents.
Mr Baird made the promise after a number of Hunter Liberal MPs stood down amid corruption investigations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Newcastle MP Tim Owen and Charlestown MP Andrew Cornwell both retired from politics as a result of the inquiry.
“Over 100 days ago he made grand promises about returning to the Hunter to rebuild trust,” Mr Robertson said.
“The reality is, Mike Baird has failed to deliver on this simplest of promises, to visit the Hunter in the wake of the Liberals’ ICAC scandals.
“All this at a time when the Liberal government is forging ahead with its plans to rip up Newcastle’s rail line.”
Opposition spokeswoman for the Hunter Sonia Hornery said it was shameful that the government had chosen to make announcements about the region from Sydney instead of visiting the Hunter.
“The people of the Hunter will have a clear choice at the upcoming state election between the Liberals, who have abandoned the region, and Labor, who is working hard every single day to deliver the services and infrastructure the Hunter deserves,” Ms Hornery said.
