In the Council’s submissions for the state’s 2016/17 Budget it argues too much money is being spent in Sydney and more money urgently needs to be directed to communities across regional NSW.

Their submission calls on the government to commit to an annual $60 million in funding for the Resources for Regions Program.

Money from that funding paid for the revitalisation of Singleton’ town centre, the work currently underway to upgrade Ryan Avenue, Bridgeman Road-New England Highway intersection improvements, cycleway on Hermitage- Broke Road, Pokolbin and the future upgrade of the Singleton saleyards. 

A paltry four percent of the $5.4 billion in mining royalties received by the NSW Government over the last four years has been returned to the State’s hard­working regional mining communities through the Resources of Regions​ program said, NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee.

“R​esources for Regions ​is an important initiative that provides critical public infrastructure funding to regional mining communities that contribute so much to the NSW economy. The NSW Minerals Council has been a strong supporter of the program, and has worked hard to see R​esources for Regions expanded to include more mining communities,” Mr Galilee said.

“Much of regional NSW is dependent on mining activity for jobs and economic development, including the Hunter, the Illawarra, and the Central West and Far West of NSW. The mining regions of NSW deliver over $1 billion each year in mining royalties to the NSW Government, and they deserve greater support.

“Given the NSW Government is spending up big on convention centres, light rail lines and road tunnels in Sydney, mining communities in the Hunter, Illawarra, Central West and other regions should also receive more funding for their infrastructure needs,” NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee said today.

Mr Galilee added the Council asked the Government to invest in the long term support to aboriginal families living in or near regional communities through a better funding model for the Clontarf Foundation.

“Our industry is a strong supporter of the Clontarf Foundation, that does such important work to strengthen families and communities across NSW, including in mining regions, by encouraging young aboriginal men to finish school. The NSW Government is a strong supporter of the Foundation, but a more workable funding model is needed to ensure Clontarf can continue its work and expand to other parts of the state,” he said.