THE NSW government has finally pledged money to a Hume Highway upgrade which is tipped to generate new jobs at the Nexus industrial hub north of Albury.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday used her opening address at the Local Government NSW Conference to announce $9.9 million in funding for works to benefit the estate which neighbours the Ettamogah Rail Hub.
They include the construction of southbound ramps at the Davey Road interchange with the highway and connecting the Nexus land to gas access.
Albury Council, which has developed the 450 hectare site, has long been seeking a state government contribution for the improvements.
It has previously had a promise of $7 million from the federal government, but that was scrubbed in 2015 after the state failed to match it.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said the new pledge from Ms Berejiklian would boost the likelihood of a favourable response to the council’s latest application for federal funding for the works.
“Hopefully with the election coming up they will probably put it down as a promise for (Farrer MP) Sussan Ley’s re-election, who knows,” Cr Mack said.
“We’re pretty confident we’ll get it, it’s a national highway and it’s a significant upgrade and it needs to happen.”
Ms Berejiklian said it was tradition that the host of the Local Government NSW forum benefitted from a big funding announcement and she opted for the Nexus project after seeking advice from her Liberal colleague the member for Albury Greg Aplin.
“I said ‘Greg where can we put some money in terms of the regional communities funds?’ because I know how much Greg and our government for that matter has really been pursuing local jobs,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I know that $9 million will go towards providing confidence that businesses can invest because when state government provides funding for roads and utilities it encourages businesses to invest here in Albury, that’s what we want.”
Ms Berejiklian said having visited the rail hub as part of her visit to Albury last November she had firsthand experience of the merit of the industrial estate.
Cr Mack said he anticipated the council would receive a response to its federal government application in the new year and if it was approved he hoped work would begin by the end of 2019.
The NSW Roads and Maritime Services will administer the roadworks and similarly a gas authority is expected to direct the line connection.
Ms Berejiklian used her speech at Noreuil Park to mark the opening of the local government forum to stress her government’s respect for councils.
Speaking before hundreds of delegates from metropolitan, coastal and inland cities and shires, she said she realised the state and local government relationship involved more than money.
“Certainly the state is in great shape financially, but we know it’s not just the dollars that matter,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It’s making sure that local councillors, local government areas and mayors feel empowered to make those decisions on behalf of their communities but also feel empowered to raise those needs they have, which they need the state government support with.”
To claps, Ms Berejiklian said there would be no forced council mergers “so long as I am the premier of NSW”.
“I know that for some communities in the city those mergers have had a degree of success,” she said.
“I have to say in the city, in Sydney, we’ve seen many of the new amalgamated councils actually take huge steps forward and that’s a plus, but we appreciate in the regions in particular what councils mean for local communities, what local identity means and how that’s reflected in council areas.”
Ms Berejiklian noted recycling would be a big issue at the conference, with councils concerned not enough funds generated by a waste levy were flowing to municipalities from the state treasury.
In response to a question from a Forbes representative, the Premier said she believed “first and foremost” the key goal for councils was developing and implementing a local environment plan.
“That is the No.1 and No.100 reason why a council exists,” Ms Berejiklian said.