Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders says he sees enormous potential for the region following the announcement of a new 20-year economic vision by Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
Along with a focus on more senior NSW Government roles being based in regional communities, the vision supports emerging sectors such as renewable energy & gas, along with future industries like critical minerals.
“This region is part of the first Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), and will certainly be leading the way when it comes to opportunities for the future in that sector,” Mr Saunders said.
“The Dubbo Electorate also has a number of current and planned ventures around the supply of critical minerals, which is expected to provide significant growth in coming years.”
The new Regional Workforce Principles will help to grow the public sector in regional areas through commitments to increase the proportion of senior regional staff by 2023, along with advertising roles that can be performed from any location as ‘regional location encouraged’.
“This is exciting news for regional communities like ours, and means a more significant NSW Government presence across the state, more job opportunities and greater career progression,” Mr Saunders said.
“We all benefit from a more significant presence of State Government employees in the bush, where local people have the knowledge and experience to make decisions about local needs and wants.
“Since announcing a hub for the Department of Regional NSW will be based in the Dubbo area, we’ve seen a number of staff moving into roles, and I’ll continue to promote the vibrant lifestyle, friendly community, and quality-of-life in areas like Dubbo, Mudgee, Wellington and Narromine.”
The Department of Regional NSW has established hubs in Dubbo, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, and Queanbeyan in the past six months, and will be helping other NSW Government agencies grow their workforces in regional communities.