Central NSW councils have welcomed the NSW Government’s announcement of business support measures in response to the ongoing closure of the Great Western Highway but say it falls well short of the impacts being experienced across the region and must be urgently expanded.

CNSWJO Chair and Cabonne Mayor, Cr Kevin Beatty, said the announcement acknowledges the significant strain being placed not only on local businesses, but also on the communities that depend on them.

“We welcome the NSW Government’s response and the recognition that this disruption is having real economic consequences for regional communities,” Cr Beatty said.

“It is a positive step, but it does not yet match the scale of the crisis facing Central NSW. The impacts are broader, deeper and more complex than the current support settings recognise. Businesses are losing trade, supply chains are under pressure, communities are being disrupted, and too many affected areas are still being left out,” Cr Beatty said.

“There are businesses, workers and communities outside the current support boundaries who are dealing with the same detours, cost increases, delays and reduced trade, but who are not currently eligible for assistance,” he said.

Councils say the effects are being felt across freight, manufacturing, construction, tourism and local service sectors, with flow-on consequences for community wellbeing, access to services and confidence in local economies.

“For many businesses, these impacts are cumulative and interconnected. Increased freight costs, longer travel times, disrupted customer movements and pressure on local services are all compounding at once,” Cr Beatty said.

“Without a broader response, there is a real risk that viable businesses, local jobs and the resilience of our communities will be undermined over the longer term.”

Central NSW councils are supporting Business NSW in calling for the response to be broadened to better reflect the scale of disruption, including:

• Extending the grants for businesses to more local government areas across the region.

• Transport rebates for additional kilometres resulting from the detour.

• Temporary Payroll Tax Relief

“This support is welcomed, but more is needed to ensure the response matches the complexity of what businesses and communities across Central NSW are experiencing, and that no part of the region is left behind.

This cannot be treated as a narrow or localised inconvenience. It is a regional economic and community issue, and the response must match that reality. Central NSW deserves a support package that is fair, comprehensive and equal to the challenge,” said Cr Beatty