It also calls for delivering on important commitments to streamline fees and levies and implement planning reforms, NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said.

“Much of regional NSW is dependent on mining activity for jobs and economic development, including the Hunter, the Illawarra, and the Central West and Far West of NSW. The mining regions of NSW deliver over $1 billion each year in mining royalties to the NSW Government, and they deserve greater support,” he said.

The NSW government must get serious about addressing the imbalance between funding for infrastructure in Sydney and regional mining communities, Galilee said.

Only 4% of the $5.4 billion in mining royalties received by the NSW Government over the last four years has been returned to the state’s regional mining communities through the Resources of Regions program.

“Resources for Regionsis an important initiative that provides critical public infrastructure funding to regional mining communities that contribute so much to the NSW economy. The NSW Minerals Council has been a strong supporter of the program, and has worked hard to see Resources for Regions expanded to include more mining communities,” Galilee said.

“Given the NSW Government is spending up big on convention centres, light rail lines and road tunnels in Sydney, mining communities in the Hunter, Illawarra, Central West and other regions should also receive more funding for their infrastructure needs.

“On behalf of mining communities, we’re calling on the state government to up its game in the June Budget and commit at least $60 million per year to the Resources for Regions program.”