After achieving a great many things in 2022, we are only ramping up our efforts heading into the new year. With a brand-new regional strategy and advocacy framework we will be able to synthesise our activities and systematically approach the challenges and opportunities that arise for the Hunter region.
Releasing our Hunter JO Strategic Plan 2032 is only the first step towards embedding and delivering the identified strategic priorities of connectivity, resilience, liveability, and jobs and a growing economy. 2023 will see our programs and advocacy work increasingly aligned to these core strategic priorities.
We will continue to work with our Member Councils and key stakeholders to communicate and collaborate in the delivery of the strategy and in ensuring the best outcomes are achieved for the region as-a-whole.
With our new Hunter JO Advocacy Framework and Priorities, our advocacy efforts in the lead up to the NSW State election in March 2023 will be more streamlined and targeted than ever before. This document represents the first of its kind for our region and will continue to be honed, leveraged, and amended as our priorities, challenges and opportunities shift and change.
The recent appointment of our CEO, Joe James, to the Hunter Expert Panel, which oversees the Royalties for Rejuvenation fund, highlights a unique opportunity for Local Government in the Hunter to further leverage its unified voice to advocate for outcomes for our communities. It is a great opportunity to enhance our advocacy activities in the lead up to next year’s State Government election.
In 2023 we will continue to bed down and expand our portfolio and projects around many initiatives including:
- Disaster resilience
- Contaminated land
- Economic evolution
- Global connectivity
- Accelerating events economies
- Circular economy and regional waste
- Priority Infrastructure Lists
- Shiraz to Shore
We will also be implementing our newly endorsed Regional Circular Materials Strategy which was developed in response to the NSW Government Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy (WaSM) 2041. This strategy embraces a 20-year vision while focusing on the initiatives required in the 5-year period from 2022-2027 and how progress will be monitored.
We will be finalising our Hunter Global: Flightpath report, which is being developed in response to the learnings out of the Hunter Global summit. The Flightpath report has a regionally focused action plan to help the Hunter capitalise on the opportunities of direct access to global markets.
2023 will see us continuing to represent the Hunter region on various regional networks and working groups to amplify the efforts of local government. We are looking forward to another big year!
Head to our projects page to catch up on what we have been up to this year.