LABOR STARVES COAL COMMUNITIES AFTER AXING RESOURCES FOR REGIONS

The Member for Upper Hunter has called on the Minns Labor Government to be honest about the financial blow his government has inflicted on coal communities like the Hunter.

The Minns Government axed the Resources for Regions Fund at the same time as it is pulling record royalties from coal mining in the Hunter Valley.

Coal producing regions are being starved of funding while producing the largest export income for NSW that helps prop-up the state’s budget.

Resources for Regions funding allocations were about returning coal royalties to the regions that are most impacted by coal mining.

It gave a reliable source of revenue to local councils so that they could address local priorities.

There are many social impacts that mining communities shoulder as a result of having a local economy almost entirely dependent on mining.

“Some examples are that mining communities put up with the dust and air quality issues, general noise and the visual impact of coal production on their lives,” Mr Layzell said.

“Shift work rosters have an impact in how people can socialise together including how they are able to support local sporting clubs.

“A high demand for workers means that it is expensive for building and housing. Hot bedding of DIDO (Drive in, Drive out) workers in the community affects rental affordability. This is our normal day to day lives as well as increasing the local pressures on families who are not directly involved in mining.”

The previous NSW Nationals and Liberals Government’s Regional Growth Fund provided vital support for coal communities through Resources for Regions, Stronger Country Communities and the Regional Events Acceleration Fund.

Those funds have been redirected to fund other Government priorities and election commitments in Western Sydney.

“This funding was axed at the same time the Minns Labor Government is expected to collect coal royalties this year of something in the order of $5 billion,” Mr Layzell added.  

“The support from the Minns Labor Government is dismal in comparison to the wealth coal generates for the state and compared to the funding previously available under the NSW Nationals and Liberals Government.”

PICTURE CAPTION: The Bloomfield Group's Rix's Creek Open Cut Mine.