Member for Orange Phil Donato sees value in the NSW Government's new concierge service, which deputy premier John Barilaro announced on Wednesday as part of a call for big businesses to shift their focus to regional areas.
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However, Mr Donato identified digital connectivity - or lack thereof - and communications black-spots in regional areas as potential snags to corporate decentralisation, issues he's fiercely debated in parliament as recently as last week.
The concierge service is designed to help companies considering relocation, by providing practical advice and assistance about setting up in recommended regional areas to maximise benefits like access to wider talent pools and reduced operating costs.
Businesses relocating to the area certainly could have benefits for [Orange] ... but the key to genuine decentralisation is that digital connectivity, which we still need to address properly.
- Member for Orange Phil Donato
The service could result in high-profile companies establish a presence across the region and particularly already-thriving cities like Orange, which have the appeal of more-relaxed lifestyles, shorter commutes and cheaper property prices.
"Orange is still in a boom and we're certainly still seeing more people looking to move here or invest here, that extends to business in a COVID-19 world with more people wanting to work from home or work remotely," Mr Donato said.
"Big businesses relocating to the area certainly could have benefits for the city and the surrounding areas, that decentralisation is something I've spoken about in parliament a lot and promoted.
"But the real key to genuine decentralisation is that digital connectivity, which we still need to address properly in regional and rural NSW."
He said that digital connectivity - or a lack thereof - and communications black-spots in regional areas of the state could pose an issue in terms of any corporate relocation, not just to Orange but across the board regionally.
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In a Parliamentary debate on February 10, he went as far as labelling the issue a potential 'decision-maker or decision-breaker' and 'essential in providing confidence for businesses to establish in the country'.
Although those comments came before Mr Barilaro's announcement on Wednesday, the Member for Orange confirmed that stance to be the same in the context of the new, Department of Regional NSW concierge service.
The announcement of the concierge service came a fortnight after Mr Barilaro unveiled the new Regional Workforce Principles, which would push for public sector roles to be advertised from any location with regional centres encouraged.
It also follows the launch of the NSW Government's $100 million Regional Job Creation Fund in October last year, designed to provide businesses with the money they need to fast-track relocation or expansion plans.
"One of the principles of good business is 'location, location, location', but in the COVID world the secret to success is relocation, relocation, relocation, to regional NSW, giving companies access to a wider field of skilled workers and reduced operating costs," Mr Barilaro said.
"Thousands of workers and the advanced manufacturing industry already know regional cities and towns are NSW's best kept secret, with a more relaxed lifestyle, shorter commuting times, wide open spaces and cheaper property prices.
"This is about building a safer and stronger regional NSW, creating jobs for locals and enabling big business and corporates to flourish in the regions."
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
