THIRD ROUNDTABLE MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER DR JOE MCGIRR MP

On 30th April Committee for Wagga held our third members roundtable of 2020 with our guest Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, MP. Dr Joe updated members on the NSW State Government’s responses to the 2019-20 bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. Views and questions from various industries were discussed and put forward for consideration by Dr Joe McGirr and the NSW Government.

Key points raised during the discussion:

Australia is considered to have one of the most effective responses to the COVID-19 crisis in the world. The early recognition of the seriousness of the issue and our aggressive contact tracing have assisted our position. The establishment of the National Cabinet has contributed to the effectiveness and cohesiveness of National and State Governments and the consistent, reliable information provided by the Governments has been key to Australia’s response. The approach has saved lives and flattened the curve, however the economic impact is yet to be determined.

The length and severity of the economic downturn will largely be dependent on the length of the ‘lock down’ period. The impact of the closure of businesses, particularly in the hospitality and entertainment industries, has been significant. Both tenants and landlords have raised concerns regarding support for rental assistance and loan repayments with Dr Joe. The NSW Government has introduced various packages to assist business including the waiving or reduction of fees and taxes and fast tracking of infrastructure projects.

Australia’s relationship with China and its complexities has been highlighted during the pandemic. This has exposed vulnerabilities, particularly within the health sector supply chains, and provided local opportunities for some businesses, for example product switching to hand sanitiser. It is expected supply chains will be reviewed in terms of our reliance on imports and where we hold our product, ensuring this is closer to market thereby reducing lead times.

Education is Australia’s third largest export category; the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted Tertiary Education sectors reliance on overseas students. Charles Sturt University has announced a $80 million decline in revenue. CSU is currently in the process of implementing a transformation program, Sustainable Futures, which is designed to reshape and reposition the university to ensure it continues to deliver excellence to lessen the impact going forward.

The importance of, and inequities in accessing, telecommunications and the NBN has been highlighted during both the bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising the need to establish Wagga as a digital connectivity hub as previously suggested by the NSW Government.

Significant reform has been undertaken within the health sector through the implementation and increased use of virtual networking, telehealth, and video conferencing in many localities. This has provided quicker and more immediate access to expert opinions.

Socially, there has been an increase in people accessing domestic violence and mental health services and fundraising of sporting clubs and charities has been impacted.

Wagga’s public spaces have been very popular during this time however the amenities supporting those public spaces require improvement, particularly for tourist visiting the city. The availability of facilities for those living on the streets has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst this has been addressed by the Government from a public health perspective, currently through the use of hotels, the issue will remain once the COVID-19 response is no longer in place.

Some industries are currently maintaining their workflow however will likely see the impact of COVID-19 in 6-12 months. Dr Joe was asked if the government will consider support for these businesses where, the COVID-19 impact, the potential downturn occurs at a later point.

It is expected the economic downturn will have varying impacts across the nation, for example the impact of COVID-19 in capital cities and regional centres, such as Wagga, will be different. A concern raised was that legislators and regulators may implement policies based on the needs of Sydney and/or Melbourne resulting in regional centres complying with processes designed for capital cities. Dr Joe was asked if the government would consider differing approaches in the recovery efforts and future planning dependent on the needs of a given area.

As trading restrictions ease industry, particularly hospitality, will require sufficient lead time to restock and hire casual staff prior to opening. These factors need to be considered by Government in making announcements relating to the return to trading.

The constraints of the Planning System at a local level were discussed. It is hoped that an approach like the SAP and the Health and Knowledge Precinct, whereby a higher level of planning expertise and an easier process will be considered more broadly at a local level.

Wagga faces challenges however we are starting from a strong base: we have had very few cases of COVID-19 and have a defence base, university, TAFE, health network and are the central hub for the region. Wagga is strategically well placed to recover due to infrastructure projects that are currently planned or underway. We should be looking to fast track additional infrastructure projects, investing in assets that will benefit the community and provide work locally.

Once again Committee for Wagga would like to extend thanks to Dr Joe McGirr MP for making himself available to our members and the local business community.