The NSW Government has laid the blame for Wollongong being defined as a ‘metropolitan’ rather than ‘regional’ at the foot of Wollongong’s stakeholders as it tries to shift responsibility for the region missing out on funding programs.

A response to questions during Budget Estimates Committee hearings tabled last week (see attachment) reveal that the Deputy Premier, John Barilaro MP, said:

…extensive community consultation and stakeholder feedback was undertaken as part of the development of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan that identified Wollongong as a metropolitan centre.

The Deputy Premier then repeated the same response to a question asking whether the Government was “…considering changes to the current definition of Wollongong local government area, including that it is a regional capital:

No. (a) extensive community consultation and stakeholder feedback was undertaken as part of the development of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan that identified Wollongong as a metropolitan centre.

Since the 2017-18 NSW Budget was handed down, Wollongong local government area has been deemed ineligible for funding programs like the Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund, Regional Cultural Fund and Growing Local Economies program.

Wollongong stakeholders consulted in the development of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan included the Illawarra Business Chamber, Regional Development Australia – Illawarra, Illawarra Property Council, and Wollongong City Council.

These stakeholders groups have been calling for the Government to change the metropolitan definition.

Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:

“As the NSW Government tries to deal with the backlash that Wollongong local government area is ineligible for funding programs because it defines the area as metropolitan instead of regional, it has now tried to pass the buck by blaming stakeholders.

“The Government is basically saying that Wollongong’s stakeholders are responsible for the metropolitan definition because they were part of the consultation process when the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan was developed.

“In fact, the Plan notes the value of proximity to Wollongong and the Illawarra to metropolitan Sydney – specifically separating us from the city the Government now seeks to lump us in with.

“I think Wollongong stakeholders will be surprised that the Government is seeking to blame them for Wollongong missing out on eligibility for funding opportunities.”