The Centroc Board is pleased to be included as a member of the steering committee of the Bells Line of Expressway Long Term Corridor Plan. Consultation on the Plan has been completed as of the end of January 2011.

Members have consistently called for an Expressway standard connection between Sydney and the west.

The Bells Line of Road and Great Western Highway are two of the most dangerous roads in Australia. Members want safe, fast access between Central NSW and Sydney.

Members have also been concerned with the studies undertaken to date, in that the studies do not recognise the growth that would happen as a result of the Bells Line of Expressway; the studies instead make decisions based on the constrained transport options currently available.

Members also contend that the topography of the Blue Mountains is special ensuring that the Great Western Highway will always need to be a local road. Therefore there will always be congestion issues that impact our industry particularly our tourism industry, the third largest industry in Central NSW -and growing.

Members seek to have the corridor preserved in the first instance particularly the section between the M7 and Kurrajong.

At the meeting of the Board in February 2011 members are seeking advice back from candidates in the region on their policy particuarly on securing the corridor.

The Board is encouraging State and Federal representatives to

a.    commit to the next steps in securing the corridor, that is

        i.    the establishment of route options

        ii.    selection of preferred route

        iii.    reservation of preserved route option on LEPs and

        iv.    environmental assessment and concept design

b.    provide advice on time frames where the establishment of route options should occur immediately after the completion of the Long Term Strategic Corridor Plan

c.    have commentary in LEPs along the route addressing the need for a future corridor

The Federal Government has $3.5m committed to transport studies for the region and it is anticipated that some of these monies will go the next stages of strategic work to deliver the road.

The Bells Line of Expressway Group are requesting the region get behind an email campaign to help make the expressway a reality sooner rather than later. It is easy and fun to do. Click here.

As part of the Federal Government's commitment to the regions and a promise before the NSW State election in March 2011, Centroc is seeking funding for the first steps in feasibility for the infrastructure components of the Centroc Water Security Study (the Study).

Centroc has been successful in accessing funding for a water security study. The Study has been developed in response to the worst drought on record in the region and local communities seeking a higher level of water security. From the advice within this Study, Centroc will work on ways to improve water security in the region including seeking funding for appropriate infrastructure solutions.

This Study is the first of its kind in the nation as it considers a regional approach to water security as a result of climate change for urban communities in the context of other water users such as irrigators, the environment and industry such as mining.

In November 2009 the Centroc Board unanmiously adopted the Study including emergency infrastructure such as the pipelines to Lake Cargelligo and between Orange and the Macquarie River

The Study has won four awards including national recognition as one of the 6 best engineering projects in Australia.

All Central NSW Council's members form part of the Murray Darling basin and have been experiencing the exigencies associated with the combination of over allocation of water and the worst drought on record. The Study provides advice on the way forward for water secutiry in the region to 2059 includng giving consideration to climate change. This new advice will have impacts on strategic work including funding. Therefore assistance will be sought from other levels of government.

The Study provides advice regarding policy and infrastructure augmentation in Central NSW to improve water security for the communities served by 17 member local government authorities. For a copy of the summary brochure, click here.

For a copy of the options paper, click here. 

Centroc is progressing work in understanding the carbon impact of the Study with a view to its amelioration. This work is being funded through the Strengthening Basin Communities Program, part of the Federal National Water Initiative.

Members are also collaborating on projects to reduce water consumption and deliver best practice in water management across the region.

Centroc seeks support from the State and Federal governments to assure an adequate level of water security as advised in this important regional strategy.

Link to the NSW Office of Water website www.water.nsw.gov.au

Centroc has audited the broadband needs for this region and has responded to all calls from both the State and Federal Government regarding the regional position on telephony. Centroc seeks to ensure that landline, mobile and data services are constantly improving and to ensure that the region is internationally competitive.

The Centroc "On Top" document regarding broadband needs will be presented to the Federal Government soon, along with the results of the recent Telecommunications Survey. Digital Television will be raised as an issue, as well as support for the recent changes made by the Federal Government to the regulatory framework bringing about functional separation of Telstra.

Centroc’s position on broadband is that:

a.    any upgrades be affordable and will scale into the future with the growth of broadband needs

b.    there be wholesale access to infrastructure

c.    there be price parity

d.    there be no overbuild

e.    the regulatory environment be amended to enable the above

f.    that the Centroc region be considered early in the roll out as it is broadband ready and is an area of need

It should be noted that the policy of Centroc to date fits well with the new direction taken by the Federal Government.

Centroc seeks support from the State and Federal Governments to take advantage of significant work undertaken in the region in auditing its broadband needs and capability and prioritise Central NSW for the National Broadband Network roll out. Centroc seeks to ensure that landline, mobile and data services are constantly improving and to assure that the region is internationally competitive.

For more information on any live issues, please contact Centroc.

Centroc calls on the Federal Government to provide full funding for the Charles Sturt University Medical School. For more advice on the Centroc position go to a recent media release.

Centroc members believe they should not be in the role of health provision and yet as members communities call for this type of support, so Centroc member Councils are building medical centres and working on attracting and retaining health work-force.

Centroc members are interested in developing flexible workforce options tailored to the needs of this region where Centroc's audit of the region suggests that what is in place to date needs to change.

Regarding attracting and retaining the health workforce, Centroc is developing a website and other tools to facilitate this. The brand for the concept is ‘Beyond the Range’ and looks to welcome health workforce to work, life and a rural experience in Central NSW beyond the range of what they are currently experiencing in metropolitan areas. This project has been funded 50% by the NSW Department of Industry and Investment.

Stage 1 of the project is completed and received a good response from the Board.

Stage 2 which implements the project is now underway and seeking funding and sponsorship.

For more information on any live issues, please contact Centroc.

Centroc understands that a further $3.5m is to be spent on transport studies in Central NSW, for projects such as:

   a)    Securing the corridor for the Bells Line of Expressway

   b)    a blueprint for transport for the region that identifies the next layer of analysis for the development of transport infrastructure in the region akin to the work being done with water security.

   c)    intermodal shift to freight rail in Central NSW

Centroc's Management plan objectives for this year are to:

1. Develop lobbying support information as requested in the areas of load deficiencies, rail infrastructure and intermodal facilities.
2. Provide advocacy material to ensure the policy of members is being addressed in the ongoing roll out of the $5m Federal spend on transport studies for Central NSW.
3. Provide regional based engineering advice to the Board as requested.
4. Maintain support for Centroc weight of loads group.
5. Maintain the Centroc Policy for responding to issues relating to regional services remaining at Kingsford Smith Airport (KSA)                      
6. Maintain a watching brief on developments in  regional access to KSA
7. Support the re-instatement of the Blayney to Demondrille rail line, the completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail line and the inland corridor for the Melbourne to Brisbane high speed rail link.
8. Support the current air services to Parkes, Orange and Bathurst and encourage any future expansion of the service.
9. Support the location of Weather Station near Dubbo

Centroc seeks to have as much freight as possible in the region being handled by rail, therefore Centroc supports the retention of grain rail lines and the development of the north/south rail line.

Centroc seeks to develop appropriate intermodal facilities in the region, particularly a facility in Parkes to provide a north south/east west intermodal facility of national significance.

Centroc seeks to ensure that there are sufficient funds in local government budgets to assure the maintenance of roads in the region.

The engineers of the region met in December 2010 to provide advice around the region’s priorities for transport infrastructure. This project is near completion.

For more information on any live issues, please contact Centroc.