Cowra Shire Council this week commenced a survey of the business community in an attempt to identify how it can “further support economic growth and jobs in the region”.
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Council’s survey comes in the same week the Sydney media reported on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian promised a 'decade of sustained growth" for Sydney if the she remains in power.
Included in the report was a list of what Sydney wants, eg more jobs for young people, a north south rail link, a hospital at Rouse Hill etc etc, the list went on, and on, and on.
What about the bush?
How about growing country towns into regional centres?
Country councils were offered massive incentives to amalgamate, suggesting the State Government has enough in the coffers to provide more funding for country and regional areas.
In the end very few amalgamations went ahead so the money should be put back on the table, no strings attached.
Cowra Shire Council is not unlike all local government bodies who want to secure the future of the centres they govern.
They could do so much and are better placed, than State or Federal bodies, to identify what needs to be done and can be done.
During the week I asked our online readers what they wanted for Cowra.
“What do we want Cowra? A new hospital, new police and fire stations, a rail link and air service. What do you think?” I asked.
These were some of the replies I received.
Definitely the rail link should go ahead - not just for freight, but passenger services as well. It would open the region up. –Paula Williams.
Air, maybe new police station plus some new police. – Lyn Burton.
All of the regional/rural train lines should be reinstated. Cutting out access to public transport has cut communities off from access to resources. This would go some way to increasing jobs and also increase people considering options to move to other regional centres. – Kelly Anderson.
How about a state of the art sports stadium, get the rail line reopened, rail trails, money for the upgrade of the cinema and money to get our roads up to scratch. – Joe Proctor.
“Well that’s a start,” Joe Proctor added.
It certainly would be a start Joe.