A Dubbo business being awarded the contract for earthworks at the Regional Rail Maintenance Facility is the latest signal that construction continues to boom in the region.
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The $2.8 billion Regional Rail Project will create new opportunities for regional NSW businesses and suppliers such as MAAS Civil.
The maintenance facility is expected to generate around 200 jobs during the construction phase and approximately 50 ongoing jobs when it opens, including apprenticeships and traineeships.
An office for the newly created Department of Regional NSW will also be established in Dubbo, bringing up to 100 new jobs to the region and putting regional communities at the forefront of government decision-making.
- PART 1: The hardest hit: An overview of job losses in the region
- PART 2: Recovery for those hit the hardest by coronavirus restrictions
- PART 3: Regional Impacts and what you have told RDA Orana
- PART 4: Gaps analysis around COVID-19 response
- PART 5: Agricultural consistency shows the region's tangibility and resilience
- PART 6: Mining sector buffers impact of COVID-19
The Dubbo office will be one of four across the state in addition to Queanbeyan, Armidale and Coffs Harbour.
These developments show that the government and big business have faith in this region as an industrial and commercial core for the state.
We have been fortunate that construction in the region has not ceased during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown which affected so many businesses across the board.
Tradespeople have been able to keep working by maintaining social distances and using appropriate hygiene precautions.
This industry is currently helping to buoy the region, by keeping tradies in jobs and suppliers' doors open.
The announcement of more funding being injected into the region through schemes like the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program will provide more than $13M funding to build or enhance Council-owned assets across the 12 Local Government Areas.
The Building Better Regions Fund will also provide funding for upgrades and development of a range of facilities across the Orana, including the Warren Museum and Gallery ($3.5M), Coonamble Showground ($500,000), Dubbo Dirt Bike Club ($242,385) and Coonamble Aerodrome ($218,988).
Building and upgrading facilities will do a lot to benefit the region. It will maintain employment, boost the economy, encourage investors, beautify townships and attract more people to visit the region for the purpose of sport, tourism and travel opportunities.
In this regard, the construction industry can be seen as a beacon for other industries and the sight of cranes on the skyline and the sounds of hammers and drills in our ears is a reassuring sign that we can continue development and ensure the region remains an economic powerhouse in the future.
RDA Orana is a not for profit business that receives federal funding to support regional and economic development initiatives across the Orana region. Our mission is to support sustainable economic growth through the provision of regional intelligence that creates connections and collaborations, supports investment decisions by business and government, and that encourages the development of our workforce. To find out more visit rdaorana.org.au
Regional Recovery with RDA Orana is a series of columns produced by RDA Orana looking at the impacts of COVID-19 and the road to recovery for our community.
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