BY LIZZIE COLE
Digby Rayward wants officials on the ground from the Net Zero Economy Authority as coal mines in the Hunter close down.
He’ll tonight raise a motion to call on the State Government for funding post mining land use initiatives.
Councillor Rayward says the pointers to send to the Annual Local Government Conference reflect the desires of Councils across the Hunter Valley.
“There’s a real risk we’re going to lose in the order of 12,000 jobs in the next few years when BHP shuts down.
“We want to make sure those people [who] are working in Dungog and travelling across to those mining jobs have got another job, whether it’s based in Dungog, Muswellbrook or Singleton,” he said.
Also among the motions to send to the Local Government Annual Conference, a number of roads which have been on Council’s agenda for years. He wants them re-categorised as State roads.
“Going from Clarence Town … towards the Medowie side, and there’s some around Gresford.
“The formula [the State Government have] got is population going from point A to point B,” he said.
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| Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
