Joint appeal for Resources for Regions to continue to support mining c
Published on 29 May 2023
The mayors of Singleton and Muswellbrook and CEO of the Minerals Council of NSW, Stephen Galilee have met to discuss a combined call to the NSW Government to maintain the Resources for Regions program for the benefit of mining communities across the State.
Mayor of Singleton Cr Sue Moore and Mayor of Muswellbrook Cr Steve Reynolds have invited NSW Premier Chris Minns to visit their local government areas to showcase the benefits of the Resources for Regions program, particularly since reforms were introduced in 2020 that eliminated the need for co-contributions and a benefit cost ratio.
The changes also provided for a fixed percentage of the total pool for mining-affected communities based on the level of actual mining activity occurring within an area.
Singleton and Muswellbrook account for a combined total of 43 per cent of NSW’s coal mining output, which in 2021 amounted to more than $18billion of the State’s mining output total of almost $40billion (Remplan Economic Output Estimates 2021 Release 3).
Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore said it was critical for the program to remain, recognising the importance of mining to the State’s economy and the daily implications on air quality, roads, amenity and reputation for communities where mining activity actually occurs.
“Mining makes a huge contribution to the prosperity of everyone in NSW, and it’s only fair that the considerable royalties from our regions are compensated to benefit the people who live in our towns and who have to deal with the daily impacts of mining,” she said.
“We’ve seen the benefits of the Resources for Regions program as the mechanism to deliver a return on the investment from our community that makes mining possible.
“We’re very proud of the approach we’ve taken in Singleton to make Resources for Regions about the community by extending the opportunity for funding for a range of projects in partnership with local community organisations, and I’d be only too pleased to show the Premier, Mr Minns, just how the program is having a real impact on people on the ground.”
Cr Reynolds said the Resources for Regions program was a critical source for infrastructure and programs that supported the community now, as well as helping to lay the foundations for ongoing vitality into the future.
“We are all aware of the conversations happening at a global level about the future of energy, and while mining will always be part of our economy, we need to be ready for any shifts that may occur that we have no control over,” he said.
“We’re very keen to show Mr Minns just what action we’re taking at a local level to support our communities, and to showcase how the Resources for Regions program is providing a vital injection now to help us on the path to the economic and social evolution for generations to come.
“We need Resources for Regions to continue in the same format, so that we can continue to work with the State Government to deliver what our community needs and deserves. Taking it away would be an insult.”
Stephen Galilee, NSW Minerals Council CEO said the Resources for Regions program was of vital importance to the mining communities of NSW.
“Over the last decade, the Resources for Regions program has helped fund many beneficial projects that have improved the quality of life for people living and working in the Hunter and in other mining communities across NSW,” he said.
“The program enjoys strong public support in regional NSW, and we hope it is able to continue to deliver further local benefits in the future.”