Wicks wants the Central Coast 'a stand-alone region'
Federal Liberal Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks has started a petition "to make the Central Coast a stand-alone region".
"The Central Coast needs to be declared a stand-alone region with Gosford as its capital city, not as part of the Greater Sydney, Newcastle or Hunter regions."
However, State Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch said the petition was unnecessary.
"NSW Labor declared the Central Coast a stand alone Region in 2010.
"It just needs government departments to implement the policy that's already there."
Ms Wicks said: "The Central Coast needs to be declared a stand-alone region with Gosford as its capital city, not as part of the Greater Sydney, Newcastle or Hunter regions.
"The extended Covid-19 lockdown has highlighted the need for the Central Coast region to be excluded from the Greater Sydney catchment definition.
"Central Coast businesses are suffering under this extended lockdown and, while I applaud the NSW Government for prioritising lives and keeping people safe, it has really highlighted the challenges of being lumped in with Greater Sydney.
"The Central Coast has a unique identity.
"We are now one Central Coast Council and home to over 340,000 residents, a population larger than Wollongong, Geelong and Hobart.
"I have faith that the Premier can require the NSW Government to agree to a common definition for the Central Coast and declare Gosford as our capital city and I am calling on the state government to do so."
Ms Tesch said it had been Liberal Governments which had "watered down our status" and had "reverted back in education, tourism, planning and development"
She said the region was recognised in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, but Central Coast Tourism, Central Coast Development Corporation and the Central Coast Education Region had all gone.
"It's been a deliberate policy of State and Federal Liberal governments.
"Now those same politicians who supported the watering down of our regional status are complaining."
SOURCE:
Social media, 9 Jul 2021
Lucy Wicks, Member for Robertson
Social media, 10 Jul 2021
Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford