Mayor calls for action

Barkly Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington made a call for action to develop a 10-year Barkly Region Master Plan

Posted: Tuesday, 24 October 2017

Barkly Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington made a call for action to develop a 10-year Barkly Region Master Plan at an economic development conference today (Tuesday, 24 October). In his welcoming speech at the two-day Barkly Regional Resources and Economic Development Conference held at the Civic Hall, Mayor Edgington suggested it was time the Federal and Northern Territory governments joined forces with Council to look at developing a 10-year regional master plan for the Barkly. Mayor Edgington said the Territory Government has already entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth to create a City Deal for Darwin that will drive investment and make life better for residents, businesses and the Territory. “I would like all of us to enter into something similar, focusing on maximising the investment, infrastructure, economic development and job opportunities across the Barkly region,” he told delegates at the conference which runs from 24 to 25 October and is supported by the Territory Government. “With the construction of the Northern Gas pipeline, the re-opening of mothballed mines, the NT Government awarding 'major project' status to several mining projects, further work on the proposed Mount Isa to Tennant Creek Rail Link and Council recently creating a cross border economic alliance with Mt Isa Town Council, a master plan would pull all these opportunities into a cohesive form and set a long-term and sustainable vision for the future for this region and its residents,” he said. The conference, convened by Informal, brought together key leaders from the mining, petroleum, pastoral, transport and infrastructure industries, along with the NTG’s Minister for Housing and Community Development Gerry McCarthy and Primary Industries Minister Ken Vowless, under the one roof to discuss the latest opportunities and major project developments. Mayor Edgington told conference delegates on Tuesday how he saw the 10-year Barkly Region Master Plan as a big step forward for the region and its residents. “As you will hear from the numerous speakers over the next two days there are an increasing number of opportunities to promote and sustain business, maximise the region’s development potential and encourage new investment and development in the north,” he said. “People on the East coast often joke that we are in the middle of nowhere but I believe we are on the road to somewhere important and exciting and beneficial to those residents and businesses who want to live and work here, raise their families and invest in the future. “Together we can be a much more powerful force for change.” Mr McCarthy and Mr Vowless will address delegates on Wednesday, 25 October.