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City leaders join forces to look towards the future

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The coronavirus crisis has brought together 17 chief executives and city leaders to develop a blueprint for Newcastle’s recovery from the pandemic.

The leaders met via video call last week and shared insights into how the pandemic has impacted their businesses, industry, staff and customers.

The City Taskforce consists of business, industry and government representatives from key sectors across the local economy, from education to finance to tourism and the arts.

The group includes; Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and representatives from Newcastle businesses including Hunter New England Health Chief Executive Michael DiRienzo, Independent Creative Alliance’s Justine Coggan and Regional NSW Director Alison McGaffin.  

City of Newcastle has committed $500,000 to the project, as well as in-kind support, as part of its COVID-19 Community and Economic Development Resilience Package, while each organisation will provide staffing resources to implement initiatives.

This will initially fund an Expression of Interest (EOI) program to provide innovative and targeted responses to those local industries hardest hit by the virus.

Chaired by Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, the Taskforce will coordinate a concerted, strategic approach to recovery.

“This is a historic moment in the City’s response to this global crisis, as we work to maximise the capacity and speed of our recovery,”Cr Nelmes said.

“Never before has our city seen such an unprecedented level of collaboration amongst its leaders.

“I’d like to thank all 17 [chief executives] for accepting my invitation to give their time to the Taskforce.

“Each has their own responsibilities in terms of leading their organisations’ response during and out of COVID-19.

“Despite this, they are making time to assist City of Newcastle in ensuring that we leave no stone unturned in identifying anything and everything that can be done to help our city now and during its medium to long term recovery.”

The Taskforce will liaise with lead agencies Hunter New England Health for Public Health updates; Regional NSW on government responses; and the Hunter Research Foundation Centre around economic impacts.

It will meet fortnightly through to the year’s end. While the Taskforce has been established as a Newcastle-centric initiative, its benefits will be felt well beyond the local government area’s boundaries.

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