Hunter 'City Deal' would deliver $4.2 billion a year in economic benefits

Lake Macquarie City Council is proposing a partnership with the Australian and NSW governments, and other key stakeholders, to pilot a Hunter City Deal.

General Manager, Brian Bell said the proposed submission to the Australian Government’s Smart Cities Plan was adopted by the elected Council on Monday night.

“The proposed submission, which is now publicly available on Council’s website, outlines how Lake Macquarie City Council can work with the Australian and NSW governments to create liveable cities through improved planning, investment and technology,” Mr Bell said.

The required infrastructure investment, from both the private and public sectors, to deliver a pilot Hunter City Deal is about $1.2 billion over 10 years. This infrastructure, targeting the geographic and demographic centre of the lower Hunter, is expected to generate around 10,700 new jobs, 7650 new dwellings and total economic output of $4.2 billion per annum.

“Local government is critical to the delivery of any Smart Cities Plan. Lake Macquarie City Council is willing and able to work with all levels of government and key stakeholders in the Hunter to investigate the opportunities identified in the Smart Cities Plan.”

Key benefits of a Hunter-based City Deal pilot

• significant economic and employment gains in a location ideally situated to become an international gateway;
• reduced growth pressures in Sydney and other areas where relevant per capita costs are higher; and
• a test bed to refine ideas that may later be applied in more complex situations, such as parts of Australia’s capital cities.
  

Find out more about the Hunter City Deal pilot