13 April 2022
City Of Whyalla Mayor Calls For A Federal Regional City Deal
City of Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin is calling for Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese to commit to a bi-partisan approach to negotiate a ‘Regional City Deal’ for Whyalla.
‘City of Whyalla is on the precipice of a socio-economic renaissance, we are at the forefront of an exponential increase in national economic activity. A revitalisation driven by significant private sector investment, seeded by significant government investment that will transform local heavy industry and support the emergence of a new local green hydrogen industry cluster sited at Port Bonython’ Mayor McLaughlin said.
The provision of enabling and supporting infrastructure, and 21st century amenity within Whyalla will be critical to the acceleration and success of this investment. As a nation, we cannot afford for the enormous investment about to happen in the region to be let down by poor enabling and/or inadequate infrastructure.
Based on the Commonwealth Government’s successful City Deals and Regional Deals model, the City of Whyalla is seeking to negotiate a ‘Regional City Deal’ that bring together all levels of government and the private sector to agree to fund a clear set of objectives to support the region’s growth for the next decade and beyond
‘We seek a Regional City Deal, tailored to Whyalla’s comparative advantages, assets and challenges, reflecting the unique opportunities of the Whyalla region’ Mayor McLaughlin said.
City of Whyalla’s vision for such a Regional City Deal is to create a Whyalla, using ‘a place-based approach’, that is a vibrant urban centre that continues to make a significant contribution to the sustainability and prosperity of the greater Whyalla region, our State and Nation.
A regional city centre offering government and the private sector a strong return on the investments made in local businesses and community-identified priorities.
Mayor McLaughlin said ‘we anticipate private sector investment alone in the local hydrogen cluster establishing in Whyalla could be worth some $15b. An investment that will create massive and generational employment opportunities, attracting a broad range of SME support services that over the next decade will see Whyalla make a considerable contribution to our nation’s GDP, tax receipts, wealth and wellbeing’.
‘We have a bold vision for Whyalla’s future that requires Federal government support. We must build on the momentum from the State election and the private sector goodwill and expansion plans, and we must seize this unique opportunity,’ Mayor McLaughlin said.