While there’s a few of us still lamenting the closure of Myer and the shutting down of the Electrolux factory, if the latest economic predictions for Orange are anything to go by things aren’t as dire as they seem.
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In fact according to mayor Reg Kidd in 12 to 18 months’ time we will be sitting back wondering what the fuss was about.
According to Cr Kidd key economic indicators show the city’s economy will improve “for the next five years”.
It’s no secret that there’s been plenty of concern over the viability of the food court that’s set to occupy the old Myer building.
But according to Cr Kidd Orange not only survived Myer’s closure, it actually continued to move ahead in leaps and bounds.
Why don’t we all take a moment to marvel at all of our great achievements and the prosperity that’s to come.
Much of the city’s current and future prosperity comes down to construction.
Orange has a raft of major projects underway and on the drawing board, not to mention all of the housing construction that’s seeing our city expand in every direction.
According to the mayor over 500 construction jobs would be created in the next four years courtesy of the new Department of Primary Industries offices in Prince Street and the Bloomfield private hospital on Forest Road.
With those new developments comes employment opportunities and enticements for people to move here from other cities and regions.
It’s not surprising to see that according to data derived from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Centrelink, Orange’s unemployment rate in March was 3.81 per cent, which compared favourably to the regional NSW figure of 5.42 per cent.
It wouldn’t be unrealistic to expect the number to fall even more in the coming years.
Those in work appeared to be being paid comparatively well for their labour too, as ABS data revealed the average Orange weekly income was $1,146 – almost $300 more than Bathurst’s.
As Cr Kidd said we are about to reap the benefits of a massive injection from the new hospital, the DPI, the refurbishment of the old Myer building and the Quest apartments.
While it’s easy to rant about things we don’t like, why don’t we all take a moment to marvel at all of our great achievements and the prosperity that’s to come.
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