WHITE PAPER

NSW State Government

Seat of Wagga Wagga
By-Election
8th September 2018
Request for response from By-Election Candidates

A STATEMENT OF COMMITTEE 4 WAGGA'S POSITION ON THE VITAL

ISSUES FACING WAGGA WAGGA

Committee 4 Wagga asserts these important issues must be addressed during the current
and forthcoming State Government term. This document addresses the need for a
strategic and visionary plan for Wagga Wagga’s future and the infrastructure needs of our
city towards the year 2030.
INTRODUCTION
This Paper, in partnership with our 2017 Strategic Plan document (available from our
website) is a statement of Committee 4 Wagga's position on the key current issues
which need addressing at a State Government level.

Committee 4 Wagga acknowledges that the State Government has just recently published two
critical strategic plans which identify the pathway forward for Regional New South Wales :-
• 20-Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW; and the
• Future Transport Strategy 2056
These documents will now inform the development of Strategic Plans for Wagga Wagga.

The seat of Wagga Wagga State By-Election in September will provide an opportunity for the
communities in the electorate to select a candidate who will represent the city through to the
next State election in March 2019 and with the potential as the incumbent, to represent the
seat for the following three years.

There are many opportunities & challenges ahead for our City and our community. The
Committee 4 Wagga is keenly interested in the City’s development, progress and viability as
we move towards 2030. Visionary and strategic thinking is required of Government to develop
the social, cultural and economic needs of our city into the future. There is a growing emphasis
on infrastructure for the future, identifying what a city needs and executing a process to deliver
on identified goals.

The State Government’s 20 Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW identifies Wagga Wagga
as a Growth Centre – a hub of growth in regional NSW. The Future Transport Strategy 2056
identifies Wagga Wagga as a Regional City Transport Hub for road, rail and higher speed
corridors (inland rail and high-speed trains).

“Smart Cities” is now a real requirement for developing cities. The liveability of the City must
continue to evolve and importantly not be impeded by election cycles.

Wagga Wagga is the largest regional city in NSW, with a population of 65,000 people. Wagga
Wagga continues to grow in a substantial and sustainable way. However, the City needs to
retain its vibrancy and growth to become a smart city. It needs to proactively manage
infrastructure to ensure it remains a liveable and desirable place of residence for its community
and for those seeking to relocate to a regional city of substance.

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KEY PROJECTS

Key Project Summaries

WAGGA WAGGA CITY LEVEE BANK SYSTEM...................................................................... 3
RIVERINA INTERMODAL FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS HUB ............................................... 4
WAGGA WAGGA AIRPORT ......................................................................................................... 5
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND DELIVERY .................................................................. 6
INLAND RAIL................................................................................................................................... 8
HIGH SPEED RAIL (HSR)............................................................................................................. 8
SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY....................................................................................................... 9
WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY PROJECTS ................................................. 10

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WAGGA WAGGA CITY LEVEE BANK SYSTEM
The security and safety of a 1:100 year flood levee bank system around Wagga Wagga is
paramount for the long term viability of our City. Flood inundation of the city would be
catastrophic in the short term with major disruption to our daily lives and extreme financial
losses. There would also be severe long-term disruption to the commercial and economic
output of the city with business closures, loss of residents, loss of habitable homes and
uncertainty in the property market.

The levee bank flood protection system is the city’s single most important piece of
infrastructure, safeguarding central Wagga Wagga and the central business area from the
effects of flooding. The localised effects of a flood breaching the levee bank would be
devastating and displace approximately 7,000 people however the broader reaching impacts
on the regional economy would have negative flow on effects at a national level.

Wagga Wagga’s immediate population is greater than 65,000 however the city is the goods
and services hub for over 185,000 people, emphasising the strategic importance of the city to
a regional population.

In the event of a flood breaching the levee up to 2,600 homes and 1,100 businesses will be
inundated, the majority severely flooded. In addition, the Sturt Highway connecting Sydney
with Adelaide will be closed and likely to be severely water damaged.

The insurance premiums of the city’s residents and business owners will continue to rise
annually to reflect significant risk to flooding and the investment potential of property in the
CBD reduced until the levee bank is upgraded and the risk to flooding mitigated.

Currently, WWCC have issued the tender for Stage Two of the levee bank construction and
completion is still scheduled for 2020.

The Member for Wagga Wagga needs to be committed to ensuring that adequate State
support is made available to complete the rehabilitation of the levee bank as a matter
of absolute priority and without unnecessary delays.

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RIVERINA INTERMODAL FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS HUB
$14.5 million has been committed to this project by the Federal Government through Regional
Development Australia. The Wagga Wagga City Council and NSW State Government will
need to provide further financial support to the RiFL Hub. There will be a further commitment
required from all stakeholders to ensure the construction and successful completion of this
project for the benefit of Wagga Wagga, the Riverina Region, the State of NSW and Australia,
i.e. at a local, regional, state, national and international level.

The development of a modern, efficient and strategically located freight hub at Wagga Wagga
will strengthen the regional economy and create opportunities for businesses looking to
relocate from metropolitan areas and establish in regional NSW.

Stage 1 construction of the necessary infrastructure and road network to enable the RiFL Hub
has been completed. Stage 2 of the project involves the funding and development of rail
infrastructure required to load and unload freight travelling along the line linking Melbourne
and Sydney. Concurrent with State government funding for Stage 2, a private sector operator
is required to partner with Wagga Wagga City Council to establish and operate the rail terminal
component of the project, critically important to ensuring the core objectives of the project and
investment in Stages 1 & 2 are realised to their full potential. Without State government
funding of Stage 2, the project is unlikely to progress.

The RiFL Hub will deliver the following benefits to Wagga Wagga and the broader region:

• Enable regional businesses to trade more effectively with national and international
markets through access to cost effective transport and logistics.
• Reduce road freight movements within the Wagga Wagga central business area
and establish a central distribution point within the Bomen Business Park.
• Reduce carbon emissions by encouraging more freight to be moved on rail.
• Improve the efficiency of the transport and logistics industry by reducing operating
costs.
• Encourage commercial development within the Bomen Business Park through the
potential to attract businesses seeking greenfield industrial sites adjacent a cost-
effective transport hub.
The RiFL Hub will benefit from Wagga Wagga’s advantageous location at the junction point of
the Sturt and Olympic Highways and mid-point on the railway line linking Sydney and
Melbourne. More than 41 million tonnes of freight is moved annually between NSW and
Victoria, and 6 million tonnes is moved between NSW and South Australia, figures that are
projected to double by 2030. In addition, rail freight volumes moving between Melbourne and
Brisbane will rise significantly as the Inland Rail route is established and completed over the
next 10 years. The Inland Rail project will be one of the most important general freight routes
in Australia and strategically located intermodal hubs along the corridor are required to service
current and future demand.

The Member for Wagga Wagga will be required to provide an ongoing commitment to
this project by lobbying parliamentary colleagues and relevant Government
Department’s to ensure adequate funding to enable completion and ultimate success.

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WAGGA WAGGA AIRPORT
The Wagga Wagga Airport is a strategic asset for the City of Wagga Wagga but is owned by
the Federal Government. A lease exists in favour of the Wagga Wagga City Council, which
expires in 2025. The current ownership and lease arrangement inhibits the development of
the airport and the benefits that flow from the development. A Public/Private Partnership mix
of lease and freehold ownership would provide opportunities to Council and business to
develop the airport asset.

The Wagga Wagga Airport is a critical piece of transport infrastructure connecting the regional
population of over 185,000 people directly to Sydney and Melbourne. The airport currently
caters for over 215,000 people annually and demand will increase in line with population
growth.

In most instances, regional Aerodromes across Australia were established by the

Commonwealth for military use. As defence activity has become more concentrated in fewer
locations and regular passenger transport has become the primary function of many airports
the Federal Government recognised the need to transfer ownership to Local Government.
Under the Aerodrome Local Ownership Plan (ALOP) a transfer of ownership for 230 out of
234 regional aerodromes was undertaken between 1992 and 1993, in the majority of instances
the transfer was made for $1 and additional funding was provided to the local Council for
maintenance and capital works. Wagga’s airport was one of the 4 aerodromes not transferred
due to the presence of the RAAF Base adjacent to the airport. The RAAF Base has since been
reclassified as a non-flying base and interactions between the Base and the taxiways reduced.

Ownership by the Federal Government rather than either Council or the private sector
significantly affects the city’s ability to attract investment and economic development at the
airport due to lack of financial security over the long term. Land adjacent an airport is valuable
real estate, evidenced in Canberra where the airport is privately owned. In 1998 the ownership
of the Canberra Airport transferred to private ownership. At the time of the sale, the
infrastructure was ageing, and no significant structures existed aside from the terminal and
hangers. Since then the land has been developed to feature a new $420M terminal and 3
unique business parks accommodating over 7,000 employees in 170,000m2 of office and
retail space.

While the aerodrome at Wagga Wagga exhibits different characteristics and serves a different
demographic to the Canberra Airport, the opportunities for economic development through
private investment should be recognised and a mix of ownership between Federal
Government, Local Government and the private sector be considered as outlined below:

- Transfer to Local Government the ownership of land accommodating the runway,

taxiways, terminal, carpark and associated facilities.
- Federal Government to maintain ownership of land accommodating the RAAF Base,
associated facilities.
- Private investment opportunities made available for land suitable for commercial
development.
The Member for Wagga Wagga will be required to commit to a Public/Private
Partnership joint venture and represent the electorate in negotiation with the
Department of Defence to achieve this.

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INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND DELIVERY
The City of Wagga Wagga will require significant infrastructure to keep abreast of its growing
population over the next 30 years. The Committee 4 Wagga has identified the infrastructure
needed for the city for this period which is contained in its Strategic Plan and the Wagga
Wagga Master Transport Plan.

The City has current and foreseeable needs and demands that will ensure its growth as a
designated regional growth centre. Transport infrastructure requires a commitment for
coordinated forward planning and project delivery. These needs remain constant across
parliament and political cycles. Committee 4 Wagga is particularly advocating the need for
roads, bridges and bypasses including:-

• Glenfield Road upgrade from Red Hill Road to the Sturt Highway

The road is one of the most congested in the city and the main arterial route to and from the
central business area for an estimated 8,000 residents. The project is listed in Wagga Wagga
City Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy and Implementation Plan 2040 and Long Term
Financial Plan 2018/19 as only a Potential Project estimated to be undertaken between 2018
and 2026. It is therefore important to initially undertake a comprehensive traffic study along
the route to understand what treatments are required and to establish a suitable timeline for
delivery, potentially developed in stages to meet demand. This work will confirm the project
scope, the detailed costings and enable the project to move from a concept to fully funded and
listed in future capital works programs for completion when the demand study recommends.

• Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication

As the population of the city has grown, residential subdivisions have established north of the
city and the University has increased its capacity. The construction of the original two-lane
bridge in 1997 has facilitated significant economic development for the city, opening up large
parcels of land for residential subdivision and ensuring the University remains sustainable and
suitably connected to the city. Compounding the congestion caused by residential
development, commercial investment by heavy industry at the Bomen Business Park and
establishment of the RiFL Hub will encourage more heavy vehicle movements across the
bridge.

A duplication of the bridge is likely to deliver further economic benefit as the city continues to
expand further north and retail precincts are developed to service the growing population.

• Eunony Bridge upgrade

Eunony Bridge in east Wagga Wagga is set to be upgraded. The bridge will be a key piece of
infrastructure for the Wagga Wagga High Productivity Freight Route, which will provide better
access to the Bomen Business Park and connections to the Olympic Highway. Combined, the
Eunony Bridge Road Deviation, the upgraded Eunony Bridge, Bomen Enabling Roads and
the proposed RiFL Hub, stand to have huge economic benefits for the City. Heavy vehicle
traffic will also be reduced in the Wagga Wagga CBD area. Tender responses for the first
stage of the Eunony Bridge project are currently being evaluated. WWCC’s Long Term
Financial Plan has a completion date for the bridge project of 2019.

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The City of Wagga Wagga has secured $9.8M in state and federal funding to upgrade the
infrastructure. The following funding commitments have been made to the project:

• Federal Government - $4.9M through the Bridges Renewal Programme

• State Government - $4.9M through the Fixing Country Roads fund

• Alternate Route - Southern Bypass

As Wagga Wagga continues to facilitate a growing share of the national road and rail freight
task, the need for a road network bypassing the city has become evident. Increasing volumes
of traffic through the urban area of Wagga Wagga adversely impacts on public amenity, image
and safety. In 2015 the Committee 4 Wagga engaged GHD to identify alternative highway
routes to be considered and applied in preliminary planning for a bypass of the city. The
analysis identified an alternate route to the south of the city as the preferred option due to more
suitable topography and the use of flood free land requiring fewer bridge upgrades or
constructions.

Transport NSW evaluations were to be published in 2016, however no outcome on

infrastructure recommendations has been communicated to date. This may also impact on
the Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication. It is essential that Transport NSW begin planning and
identify the most suitable alternative route to ensure appropriate zoning and preservation of
the road corridor can occur and the Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication can be realised.

The Member for Wagga Wagga needs to show vision and resolve to represent our
electorate in planning for and obtaining these vital infrastructure needs of our city for
the immediate future.

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INLAND RAIL
The Australian government ARTC promotes that “Inland Rail is a once in a generation project
connecting regional Australia to domestic and international markets, transforming how freight
is moved around the country. It will complete the ‘spine’ of the national freight network between
Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland”.

This project will provide significant stimulus to the Riverina economy as it passes through the
Region and City of Wagga Wagga. It adds further importance to the establishment at the RiFL
Hub as identified in the NSW Government Future Transport Strategy 2056.

The Member for Wagga Wagga should continue to advocate the importance of the
completion of this important project with direct connectivity to the RiF&L Hub at
Bomen.

HIGH SPEED RAIL (HSR)

Infrastructure Australia has identified HSR as an important part of the future of Australia’s
transport needs. HSR is planned to travel through Wagga Wagga as the growth centre and
regional transport hub of the Riverina, providing an outstanding infrastructure asset for the
region and is also acknowledged in the NSW Government Future Transport Strategy 2056.

The Member for Wagga Wagga should be committed to planning, corridor identification
and acquisition with direct connectivity to Wagga Wagga during the next term of
Government.

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SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY
Smart City infrastructure encompasses a variety of innovations featuring digital connectivity,
technology and decision making to improve a city’s efficiency and liveability. How the local
government instrumentalities conduct their operations and communicate with the community
will benefit from the adoption of smart city technologies.

Wagga Wagga is well placed to implement key elements of smart city infrastructure technology
and decision making. As an example, establishing a Wi-Fi network requires fibre ports to be
located at regular intervals within a specified area, ideally elevated to improve signal quality
and line of sight. Investment in this infrastructure has been completed in the CBD as a
requirement of the CCTV network installed in 2015, therefore the existing CCTV poles and
street lighting infrastructure can be utilised to significantly reduce the capital costs required to
establish the network in the immediate future. Technology can also be introduced to benefit
traffic management, potentially reducing latent parking spaces and improving traffic flow in
areas of high congestion during busy periods in the CBD.

Australia has been quick to embrace smart city technology with many cities actively embracing
these advancements for their community including Newcastle, the Sunshine Coast,
Launceston, Canberra, Wollongong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Adelaide.

The NSW government, in the 20 Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW has committed to
plan for and activate smart city technologies and improve digital connectivity in Growth
Centres such as Wagga Wagga.

The Member for Wagga Wagga should be committed to supporting WWCC and
public/private partnerships to complete a strategic plan for the City and provide State
government planning and financial assistance for implementation of smart city
technologies and connectivity during the current and next term of Government.

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WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY PROJECTS
Committee 4 Wagga acknowledges that Wagga Wagga City Council have identified certain
projects as a priority, some of which are already identified in the Committee 4 Wagga’s
Strategic Plan, for which State Government assistance is required and potential funding
sources have been identified (refer Annexure A). The Committee 4 Wagga supports WWCC
in seeking to provide this infrastructure for the City as a matter of priority.

The Member for Wagga Wagga should be committed to supporting the adoption and
funding of these projects in the current/next term of Government.

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CONCLUSION
The State By-Election on 8th September 2018 will provide an opportunity for Wagga Wagga to
elect a candidate who will represent the city as the incumbent through to the State election in
March 2019 and potentially for the subsequent three years.

There are many opportunities ahead for our City and communities within the electorate. The
Committee 4 Wagga represents a diverse range of Wagga Wagga businesses and is keenly
interested in the City’s development, progress and viability as we move towards the year 2030.

As a representative of peak Wagga Wagga businesses, the Committee 4 Wagga is keen to

ensure that our State Representative has a full understanding and comprehension of the
primary issues which are imperative to the future development of the City.

Visionary and strategic thinking is required to develop the social, cultural and economic needs
of our city into the future.

There is a requirement for planning on infrastructure for the future, identifying what a city
needs and implementing a delivery process to achieve key developments in time to meet the
needs of the community.

Committee 4 Wagga calls on the candidates for the position of Member for Wagga Wagga to
commit their support to the delivery of these key projects which will underpin the growth and
liveability of Wagga Wagga:-

• Timely completion of the upgrading of the levee bank system;

• Planning, funding and construction of roads and infrastructure including internal main
roads, duplication of the Gobbagombalin Bridge, upgrade of the Eunony Bridge, a city
by pass, Inland Rail and High Speed Rail;
• funding and construction of the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub;
• transferring ownership of the Airport to a Private/Public partnership;
• support for the establishment of Wagga Wagga as a Smart City.

Candidates are requested to provide their written responses in Annexure B of this

document. Responses are requested to be provided by way of return of the completed
Annexure B section via email to the CEO of Committee 4 Wagga by 30th August 2018.

Committee 4 Wagga is committed to working collaboratively with the elected representative

and the State Government in a proactive approach to ensuring a positive future for the City
and electorate of Wagga Wagga.

PRODUCED BY:
Committee 4 Wagga
PO Box 1250
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
Alan Johnston - mobile: 0412 244 529 – email: ceo@c4wagga.com.au
www.committee4wagga.com.au

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ANNEXURE A – WWCC PRIORITY PROJECTS

Project Name Short Description Possible Funding

Funding Request
Opportunity
Bomen - Services and Major services infrastructure Growing $21.8M
Subdivision upgrades and subdivision works Local
that will further improve the Economies
capability and capacity of the
Bomen Enterprise Area to cater
for existing and new industry.
Riverina Construction of 5.8km of rail Fixing $14.4M
Intermodal Freight master siding for the intermodal Country Rail
and Logistics Hub facility.
(RiFL) - Rail
Master Siding

Qantas Group Pilot Council will be requesting a Direct TBC

Academy contribution from the State Funding
Government if it is successful Request
in attracting Qantas to
establish in Wagga Wagga.
Wagga Wagga Expand, reconfigure and Growing $6.5M
Regional Airport - refurbish the existing terminal Local
Terminal Expansion to allow for future growth in Economies
passenger numbers as well as
potential changes to security
requirements.
Bolton Park Precinct Projects identified from the Regional $20-40M
(Regional Sports Hub) Bolton Park Masterplan will Sports
– Stage 1 include assets such as Infrastructure
Robertson Oval, Bolton Park Fund
Stadium and the Oasis Aquatic
Facility, Jim Elphick Tennis
Centre, allied health and retail
precinct.
Pomingalarna Development of a multi-sport Regional $6.92M
Multisport Cycling complex that will cater for a Sports
Complex wide variety of regional, state Infrastructure
and national cycling events Fund
while also provide an event
venue for a number of other
sporting and recreation
pursuits.

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Project Name Short Description Possible Funding
Funding Request
Opportunity
Victory Memorial There are currently no toilet Direct $350K
Gardens (VMG) facilities located on site, so a Funding
Amenities new amenities block is Request.
required to minimise risks to
users who need to cross one
of two major roads to access
toilet facilities.
Lake Albert Water The water harvesting Regional $1.06M
Harvesting project is required to Growth,
provide an alternate Environment
source of stormwater and Tourism
supply to Lake Albert and Fund
to aid in reducing
occurrence of shallow
depth issues.
Lake Albert Foreshore Foreshore remediation Regional $4.95M
Remediation Works work is required to protect Growth,
the bank from erosion, Environment
provide safer water and Tourism
access and user amenity. Fund
The existing foreshore
protection is very old and
non-existent in some
areas.
Jubliee Park Athletics The redevelopment of the Regional $4.1M
Complex complex would include a Sports
synthetic track that would Infrastructure
allow year round use and Fund
the ability for Wagga
Wagga to host regional
and state based events.
Premier Sporting Lighting upgrades for Regional $2.7M
Venue Lighting McDonalds Park and Sports
Upgrades Robertson Oval to cater Infrastructure
for night time televised Fund
broadcasting
Rawlings Park North - The Soccer Development Regional $2.6M
Synthetic Pitch and Strategy (May 2012) Sports
Rooms recommended that Infrastructure
Rawlings Park be Fund
developed as the home of
soccer in the Wagga
Wagga LGA and the host
for major regional events.

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Project Name Short Description Possible Funding
Funding Request
Opportunity
Gregadoo Waste Additional facilities include Major $4.6M
Management Centre a transfer station for small Resource
(GWMC) - Resource vehicles, a new Recovery
Recovery commercial and industrial Infrastructure
Infrastructure drop-off area, a new Grants
community recycling Program
centre for problem
wastes, a tip shop for
reusable household items
and a site for the
collection of Return and
Earn scheme containers.
Glenfield Road Drain This drain provides an Direct $10.9M
outlet for one of Council’s Funding
most critical catchments Request.
and is in a serious state of
disrepair with major
erosion issues.

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ANNEXURE B – CANDIDATE RESPONSES ON KEY
PROJECTS

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Project - Wagga Wagga City Levee Bank System

Insert Comments:

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Project – Riverina Intermodal Freight & Logistics Hub

Insert Comments:

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Project – Wagga Wagga Airport

Insert Comments:

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Project – Infrastructure Planning

Insert Comments:
• Glenfield Road upgrade from Red Hill Road to the Sturt Highway
• Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication
• Eunony Bridge upgrade
• Alternate Route - Southern Bypass

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Project – Inland Rail

Insert Comments:

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Project – High Speed Rail

Insert Comments:

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Project – Smart City Technology

Insert Comments:

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Project – Wagga Wagga City Council Priority Projects

Insert Comments:

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