Maitland is today without a minister in Mike Baird’s Coalition government – a move that Opposition Leader John Robertson says is a clear indication the new premier is more interested in Sydney than the Hunter Valley.
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Yesterday’s reshuffle – which saw the dumping of Maitland MP Robyn Parker as the Minister for Environment and Heritage and Upper Hunter MP George Souris as the Minister for Hunter – has left the region without any clear representation at a cabinet level.
That’s a worrying sign as Premier Baird takes his new-look leadership forward and one wonders how this region – which is one of the state’s biggest earners – will fare when it comes to divvying up money from the state’s coffers for infrastructure and roads.
In the time that Ms Parker was part of former premier Barry O’Farrell’s cabinet our city enjoyed a steady stream of funding for a variety of projects, including the siting of a new Lower Hunter hospital at Metford and the major restructure of the city’s two busiest roundabouts on the New England Highway to improve traffic flow.
While Ms Parker’s time as Environment and Heritage Minister was sometimes shaky, there is no denying her passion and commitment to representing the people of Maitland.
The pressure will now be on Ms Parker to win the ear of new Minister for the Hunter Gladys Berejiklian to make sure that Maitland is not overlooked.
After all, Maitland is one of the fastest growing inland cities in Australia and – according to Mr Robertson – part of the state’s economic powerhouse.
It will be interesting to see how voters respond to Mr Baird’s changes when they go to the polls in March 2015.