Ballina to host NSW Business Chamber Council meeting
Representatives from business chambers from around NSW will descend on Ballina on Thursday for the NSW Business Chamber Council meeting.
The meeting to be held at Ballina Beach Resort will discuss issues including the Kevin Rudd proposal to scrap WorkChoices and the need for more urgent work on the Pacific Highway.
Nearly 60 representatives of the organisation will fly into Ballina on Wednesday and Thursday for its annual regional meeting. The Chamber is the largest business organisation on NSW representing 30,000 members and 110 chambers of commerce.
“It’s great that the Council meeting will be held in Ballina and that we will be discussing the economic impact of the state of the Pacific Highway on local businesses,” said Sharon Cadwallader, Regional Manager of NSW Business Chamber.
“We have to keep the pressure on both governments to deliver on the upgrade of the Pacific Highway.
“Whilst there are plenty of promises from governments of both political persuasions, we have had too many false starts.
“According to the NRMA, as at 2006 ‘black spots’ and ‘black lengths’ on the highway accounted for a total of 2607 crashes and 93 fatalities. Sadly, that number has only worsened.
“There is also a significant impact on the local economy. Whilst cheap airfares have been a godsend for the Mid North Coast, the state of the highway has resulted in many families no longer taking a driving-based holiday.
“There has been an impact on tourism and it does result in additional cost for those who use the Sydney to Brisbane road route.”
Ms Cadwallader said she believed there was significant business support for the NSW Government to use its critical infrastructure legislation to fast-track the project.
“We can’t afford the upgrade to get caught up in green tape and red tape, we need to move forward now,” she said.
May 18th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
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