AFTER offering financial incentives for skilled people to move from the city to regional NSW, the state government has released a video of some of those who undertook the tree change.
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Participants in the Skilled Regional Relocation Incentive received $10,000 for an employment or self-employed relocation and they had to start their new job by March 31 this year.
Sydney couple Daniel and Elise Masters, who relocated to Orange in March, were included in the video of some of the people who moved.
Regional Development Minister John Barilaro said the program gave people more of an incentive to move to locations such as Orange, as well as boosting the number of skilled people such as teachers and health professionals in regional areas.
“We worked with people in the Sydney metropolitan area predominantly, we work with them to make sure we unlock the opportunity,” he said.
As a senior manager at the NSW Department of Industry and Investment, Mr Masters and his wife Elise, an emergency nurse, qualified for the funding and have taken up new positions in Orange.
Mr Masters said they had previously visited Orange and had thought of moving, but the relocation program made it easier.
Mrs Masters went from working at the Royal North Shore Hospital to Orange hospital.
“It’s a great hospital out here, it’s got amazing facilities,” she said.
“We moved out here for a lifestyle decision as well, it was kind of a bit of both.
“I love the lifestyle and I love the outdoors and we go hiking and mountain biking.”
She said the move also reduced their travel to and from work from an hour to five or 10 minutes, while the more affordable housing also made the move an attractive option.
“It’s still close enough to Sydney that we can see family and friends,” Mrs Masters said.
Although the government program was about bringing skilled workers to regional NSW, Mr Barilaro said the Evocities program, which promotes people moving to regional cities including Orange, was also a valuable marketing tool and a funding request was being evaluated.
tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au