Labor sabotaging the delivery of 600 jobs for political gain – Wicks

Lucy Wicks MP - Now overseas NBN committee

Labor is continuing to mislead Central Coast residents and businesses as part of its anti-jobs, anti-infrastructure agenda, according to member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks.

“Former member for Robertson and now Senator for NSW, Deborah O’Neill, tabled two motions designed to sabotage the delivery of 600 jobs into the Gosford CBD,” Ms Wicks said. “Just days after the NSW Government revealed that population growth is outstripping previous predictions, we are seeing an extraordinary attempt to hold our region back for cheap political gain, at a time when we need more local jobs, sooner,” she said.

“I’m determined to deliver a business, economic, infrastructure and cultural heart to Gosford, and deliver on what we committed to the people of the Central Coast. “I am fi ghting for my community to make this happen. “Labor on the other hand is determined to halt this progress and put at risk millions of dollars of future investment and hundreds of new jobs by peddling more misinformation.

“For example, Labor claims a Regional Performing Arts Centre was “earmarked” for the old Gosford Public School site. “This is false. “The location of the Performing Arts Centre was moved to the Gosford Memorial Park site. “Senator O’Neill knows this, because in 2013 she stood on this site to make an election commitment and said the Performing Arts Centre would be on that site. “Ultimately, the location of the Performing Arts Centre is to be decided by Gosford City Council, and the NSW Government owns the rest of the land where the old school stood.

“I continue to fight for the $10 million in funding to make this important civic attraction a reality. “Labor also makes allegations about confi dential Government processes and planning without checking the publicly available facts. “A decision on the sale of the land of the old Gosford School site is a matter for the NSW Government.

“The Federal Government is not purchasing this land. “The old school site is also zoned for mixed use development. “This combines residential, commercial and retail uses. “This was decided by the NSW Government body, the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation, and Gosford City Council.

“This came after the former State Labor Government announced it would sell the school site in 2010. “Where was Senator O’Neill’s voice in opposition to the zoning of this land when she was the Member for Robertson,” Ms Wicks said.

Media release, Nov 30, 2015  Tim Sowden, office of Lucy Wicks