State Government ‘Sydney-centric’, says Member for Ballina
The NSW Labor Government had confirmed its Sydney-centric focus by describing Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpool as ‘regional cities’, Shadow Minister for Regional Development Don Page said today.
Mr Page said the July 2006 issue of the Department of Planning’s e-newsletter, http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/enews/index.asp, outlined how visions and plans for regional cities of Parramatta, Liverpool, Penrith, Gosford, Wollongong and Newcastle would be established.
Mr Page said that when Minister for Regional Development David Campbell was questioned on the Government’s definition of a regional city during yesterday’s Budget Estimates hearings, he confirmed cities within the greater metropolitan area were considered regional centres.
Mr Campbell was recorded on the Hansard as stating: ‘The large and important centres in the greater metropolitan area are defined as regional city and centres’.
“I think the majority of NSW residents will agree with me when I say Parramatta, Penrith, Liverpool are not regional cities,” Mr Page said.
“This latest Sydney-centric display is indicative of a Government that is out of touch with the real regional NSW — cities like Tamworth, Dubbo, Queanbeyan and Lismore.
“Once again the NSW Government is forsaking the real regional NSW cities for the greater Sydney metropolitan area that already receives the bulk of this Labor Government’s funding.”
