Singleton Mayor Hits Back At Resources For Regions Cutback

BY HOLLY FISHLOCK

The NSW government has announced it will cut the Resources for Regions grant program, a move which has been heavily criticized by Singleton Mayor Sue Moore.

It comes after Singleton Council recently worked closely with the government to deliver positive changes to the program. 

Singleton and Muswellbrook account for a total of 43% of NSW's coal mining output, which amounted to over $18 billion in 2021. Because of this, more than $25 million has been given back to the Singleton local government area.

Cr Moore says Resources for Regions has delivered a fair return to the Singleton community for the unavoidable impacts of mining.

"The changed Resources for Regions program, changed three years ago, was hugely beneficial to Singleton residents and the local government area. We were able to support projects and programs, not just council projects," she said.

Cr Moore said she will continue to advocate for the program to continue, and is devastated to see it cut from Tuesday's budget.

"Projects that we've been able to support for the last three years will no longer be able to receive support... so I'm really concerned for what it's going to mean for those community programs that have no way of getting funding," she said.

However, Cr Moore says she is hopeful the introduction of the new $350 million Regional Development Trust Fund will continue to support communities in rural and regional NSW.

Singleton Celebrates Permanent Train Services

BY JACK LEWIS

Residents in Singleton now have more options for their daily commute thanks to the permanent addition of passenger train services. 

They'll now have access to two daily return train services to Newcastle, seven days a week, bringing better timetable flexibility and improved access to other parts of the Hunter and Sydney. 

It comes after more than a decade of campaigning by council and the "Two More Trains for Singleton" group, as well as a three-and-a-half year trial of the services.

Both the advocacy group and council are pleased with the move, but say they will continue to advocate for even greater public transport connectivity in the area. 

Singleton Misses Out Again On Federal Drought Funding

BY IAN CROUCH

Farmers in Singleton have again been left in the lurch as they battle the crippling drought.

The local government area has been left out of the latest round of Drought Communities Funding from the Federal Government because it doesn't qualify despite most of it's land area being devoted to primary production. It's the second time the shire has missed out on the assistance package which aims to fund drought projects in affected communities.

Federal criteria requires 17 percent of the local workforce to be agriculture workers - Singleton has 11-point-1 percent.

Mayor Sue Moore says the shire is just as deserving of the drought funding as Muswellbrook, which meets the criteria,  and has invited Prime Minister Scott Morrison to come and see the impacts of the drought for himself.

Meanwhile, Hunter MP and Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources, Joel Fitzgibbon says it's another slap in the face to Hunter Valley farming communities.

"Singleton is the same country as Muswellbrook, with the same climate and the same drought. They are separated only by a line on the map, yet Muswellbrook Shire was included in the Drought Communities Program last year, and Singleton is still excluded," he said.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore Picture lgfocus.com.au

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon

Automated Vehicle Trial in Wine Country

BY ARIANA GATTI

If you thought touring the Hunter's wine region is an experience and-a-half, how do driverless vehicles sound?

Singleton Council has joined forces with HMI Technologies, Professional Data Kinetics and Around Hermitage Association to produce an expression of interest for the new vehicle trial to proceed.

The expression is hoped to be presented to NSW Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, and gain approval for the automated shuttle network to be pushed around the Hunter Valley and Pokolbin area.

The driverless shuttle is planned to deliver customers between the famous wineries, restaurants and accommodation across a 6 Kilometer drive.

The route will cross along Hermitage Road, set against the Brokenback Mountain Range and the surrounds.

Mayor of Singleton, Sue Moore, believes this new service has the potential to bring more job and economic opportunities to the area, with levels of interest, thought to peak as a result of the innovative vehicle service.

"The reality is, a driverless network is a perfect solution for visitors to Hermitage Road to experience the food and wine, craft beer, olive groves and day spas our region is famous for," says Moore.

The trial is expected to introduce two new technical-related jobs, aiming to support additional job prospects in tourism and engineering.

Moore says, "It'll be safe, comfortable, and most importantly it will support the local economy."

Image sourced: https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g255328-d318294-i80329546-Mount_Pleasant_Wines-Pokolbin_Greater_Newcastle_New_South_Wales.html