Gosford off Government's radar

In the dying days of the Berejiklian Government's campaign to get elected in March last year the Premier and Treasurer put out a Media Release:

FOUR MORE EMPLOYMENT PRECINCTS TO DRIVE JOBS, BOOST EDUCATION AND CREATE INNOVATION

There was:

• Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct,
• Liverpool Health and Innovation Precinct,
• Nuclear Medicine and Technology Hub, and
• Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct in the revitalised Gosford CBD.

These were in addition to four other precincts that included Western Sydney Airport Aerospace and Defence Industries Precinct, Westmead Health and Education Precinct, Randwick Health and Education Precinct, Williamtown Defence Aerospace and Aviation Precinct, Parkes Special Activation Precinct, and Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct.

As we are well aware the Government got re-elected and since then 10 Precincts have been given the green light  and with mind blowing grants to get them going.

But not the Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct in the revitalised Gosford CBD.

Since the Election Gosford CBD has fallen off the Government's radar.

Oh yes, the Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation is spending $10 million on Leagues Club Field which is great. However, the Government Architect, who was bought in by the Central Coast Co-ordinator General, Lee Shearer, to advise on the Revitalisation of Gosford CBD recommended that the Civic Heart be the focus along with City North which included the new Gosford Hospital and University of Newcastle Medical School and Research Institute.

The Government Architect's plan for the Revitalisation of Gosford was well received across the community.

Of course, at that time we had a Minister for Planning who was very focussed on fixing a shambolic Gosford CBD and turn it into a place we could all be proud of. In the space of just two years Anthony Roberts introduced a number of planning initiatives that focussed on overriding Council and getting investment into the CBD.

These initiatives have been continued under Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes.

Following the Election, in early April 2019, the University of Newcastle's Vice Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO, announced that the University would establish a  Health, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Precinct in the Gosford CBD and identified the old Mitre10 site on Mann Street close the Railway Station as a preferred site. (This derelict site is owned by the Department of Housing which the government acquired some years ago).

At last someone had seen the need for a university campus in Gosford CBD and this fitted neatly into the Premier's promise for a Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct in the revitalised Gosford CBD.

Understanding the economic and social value of a university campus in Gosford the Gosford Erina Business Chamber has made the UON Gosford Campus a top priority and is championing it as a major project for the Chamber and for Gosford.

To get this Campus off the ground UON is asking the State Government to give them the Mitre10 site (the Government acquired it in 1996 paying around $1 million and it is now probably worth around $5 million) plus $18 million while UON will tip in $18 million.

The Feds have committed to $18 million as well.

In last year's Budget the Government allocated $740 million for the Liverpool Precinct.  There are mega millions being handed out to these Precincts.

Fast forward seventeen months from the Election and the Gosford Precinct is off the Government's agenda.

Edgar Adams

Editor