Up to 900 senior leadership roles within the NSW Government will be based across regional NSW to ensure critical decisions which affect the bush are made by people who live and work in the communities they serve.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said the NSW Government has committed to maintaining and growing the size of the public sector workforce in regional NSW, committing to targets for senior leadership roles to be based in regional NSW by 2025.

“Earlier this year I committed to increasing the number of regionally based roles in the public sector, and today I am proud to announce all NSW Government departments are on board and will place key jobs in the bush,” Mr Barilaro said.

“The Public Service in NSW should reflect NSW, and that means having leaders spread across the state – not just in Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.

“This means decisions about classroom resources will be informed by people whose children are enrolled in local schools, it means decisions about hospital upgrades will be informed by people whose family and friends rely on those facilities.

“It means key decisions made at the highest levels of Government will be directly informed by leaders who live and work in the regions.

“Locating these senior positions in the bush will provide locals with the opportunity to directly shape their future and make a difference, without having to relocate themselves to Sydney to take up a senior position.

“Larger pay packets in regional areas also means more money spent in regional communities and that helps local business owners pay their staff, it creates growth for local goods and services and brings more money and opportunities to the bush.

“Regional NSW is the engine room of the state’s economy, home to one-third of the state’s population and deserving of fair representation at the highest levels of Government.”

The Department of Regional NSW was formed in 2020 to better support regional communities, businesses and farmers and provide them with a louder voice within Government.

The NSW Government’s Regionalisation Strategy aims to increase the number of leadership positions on the ground in regional areas, promote local decision making and deliver more senior job opportunities for regional employees.