Cessnock will be in the spotlight at the Senate inquiry into the location of corporate Commonwealth entities.
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The council has been invited to address the Senate’s Finance and Public Administration References Committee on May 19 and make a case for Cessnock as a preferred option for relocation of Federal Government departments or agencies.
This follows a Mayoral Minute in March that urged the Federal Government to consider the Cessnock local government area for any relocations.
Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent said if the Commonwealth is going to proceed with plans to relocate yet-to-be-identified departments and agencies to the regions, he wants Cessnock on the list.
“Cessnock and Kurri are perfectly positioned with our close proximity to Newcastle and Sydney,” he said.
“However we are concerned the current criteria being used for possible relocations may rule out Cessnock as we are not within 10 kilometres of a university.”
Cessnock City Council is one of four regional councils who have been asked to present to the Senate committee.
“This is a unique opportunity for council to promote our local government area as a potential site for any government departments,” Cr Pynsent said.
“We are in a central location, perfectly positioned for growth and are spoilt with a fantastic lifestyle and affordable housing.”
The council provided a submission in response to the Senate inquiry – which is examining the operation, effectiveness and consequences of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Order – in March.
Meanwhile, Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon has labelled the inquiry a “pork-barreling exercise”.
“The Senate Committee inquiry is not about decentralisation,” he said.
“It is an examination of a policy order designed to do one thing only – that is, to relocate the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority from Canberra to Barnaby Joyce's electorate.
“It’s just a pork barrelling exercise which will costs taxpayers up to $60 million.
“As shadow minister for agriculture, I am opposed to the relocation of the APVMA because it has already caused a mass exodus in its workforce, including its regulatory scientists, which is destroying its capacity to do its important work”.
But Mr Fitzgibbon said if the government insists on moving the APVMA, towns like Cessnock should be given an opportunity to host it.
“The Policy Order excludes Cessnock as an alternate location so I’m pleased the Cessnock Council is being given an opportunity to express concern about its exclusion,” he said.
“Any suggestion the government has a considered decentralisation plan is a cruel hoax on regional communities.
“There is not one cent in the Turnbull Government’s four-year Budget plan for any agency relocations”.
