Mayors Speak At Jobs Summit
Newcastle Herald
Friday August 20, 1999
PLANS to make the Hunter Australia's defence capital were discussed by the Federal Government and Upper Hunter mayors during a jobs summit in Singleton yesterday.
Five mayors met Federal senator John Tierney in the unprecedented summit aimed at arresting `grave' unemployment in the council areas.
Senator Tierney indicated his support for a plan to centralise the Army, Air Force and Navy in the Hunter.
Graeme Gibson (Singleton), Ian Seymour (Muswellbrook), Barry Rose (Scone), Nat Doonan (Murrurundi) and Martin Nixon (Merriwa) took part in the discussions.
Several projects were discussed to boost flagging employment that has seen 3000 jobs lost in the Upper Hunter in two years.
They included:
* Priority funding for completion of the Upper Hunter's F3 link.
* Incentives for businesses to set up in the area.
* Special funding similar to the Newcastle BHP Fund to look at addressing the Upper Hunter's economic problems.
* A planned urgent meeting with the Defence Minister regarding increasing the Army presence in the Upper Hunter.
Increasing infantry numbers in the Upper Hunter and the possible relocation of parachute and special service squad training to the area would be discussed, Cr Gibson said.
`We have multi-million-dollar facilities that need to be fully utilised,' he said.
`At the same time such moves would ensure employment and investment in the Upper Hunter.
`The unemployment situation here is grave.'
Cr Gibson said Senator Tierney had been told during the meeting that there had been inequities in Federal support for the Hunter Region.
Further meetings between the mayors and Senator Tierney would be held within in the next few weeks, he said. Slight rise in jobs, Page 14
© 1999 Newcastle Herald