Lithgow Mayor Cassandra Coleman is calling on the NSW Government to expedite the passing of legislation to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority which is currently before the NSW upper house.
Once established, the Authority will partner with coal-producing regions across NSW to help guide the future economic development of the four coal mining regions including Lithgow from coal production and coal-fired power generation towards other economic opportunities and employment.
Mayor Coleman is calling for urgent bipartisan support for the bill, which is currently stalled due to ongoing political tensions within the Upper House, saying “Lithgow cannot continue to be treated as an afterthought while it carries the burden of major transport, freight and energy challenges. She continued by saying “With the closure of Victoria Pass and the looming risk of mine closures, Lithgow is facing a dual challenge that demands a careful and coordinated response from the NSW Government, they need to be handling these issues with kid gloves or risk irreversible damage to Lithgow’s local economy during our critical decade of economic transition”.
On the urgency of passing the bill Mayor Coleman said “The Authority is crucial for communities like Lithgow, which have powered NSW for generations and are now working hard to build a strong, diverse and resilient economic future. While the politicians stall the process by grandstanding and playing political shenanigans in the upper house, families in the Lithgow LGA are left planning for an uncertain future without coal mining jobs and no clear support from the NSW Government.”
Mayor Coleman said Lithgow City Council has already undertaken significant work to position the region for future industries and long-term jobs growth, but local leadership must be matched by genuine investment from the State Government. “The work is already underway locally, and the establishment of the Authority would allow the NSW Government to partner with Lithgow and other coal-producing regions in a coordinated and effective way, rather than leaving communities to absorb the impacts of transition and infrastructure disruption without the level of investment they deserve”
