The job of Minister for the Illawarra may have been labelled a "poisoned chalice" but the region's peak development group still believes the position is necessary.
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Greg Pearce was the latest casualty of the Illawarra portfolio after he was sacked on Thursday for failing to disclose a conflict of interest over a board appointment at Sydney Water.
Since April 2008, there have been five ministers for the Illawarra. Four have been dismissed in disgrace.
Despite the job's controversy, Regional Development Australia Illawarra CEO Natalie Burroughs believes the role is still important, providing a critical link between the region and the state government.
"The Minister for the Illawarra is a direct conduit between the region and government for all matters relating to the Illawarra," she said.
"It gives us a voice in state government; at this point in time, we're transitioning with the sale of the port and there are a lot of transport and infrastructure issues so it's good to have a minister to represent us in Parliament."
While Ms Burroughs acknowledged the history of the Illawarra portfolio was "unfortunate", she said the position deserved backfilling, if only to give the region clout in Parliament.
"Having that minister representing the region gives us more of a profile and shows we are an important economy; it might be harder for us to have that level of importance if that role wasn't there," Ms Burroughs said.
During his tenure, Mr Pearce claimed responsibility for securing the region $100 million in infrastructure spending from the long-term lease of Port Kembla.
He then created two new bodies, a "Local Leaders" panel and an assessment panel, to assist his already appointed Illawarra Community Advisory Panel and Illawarra Government Co-ordination Group, in dividing up the port lease funds.
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson yesterday labelled the multitude of assessment panels a "public relations pantomime".
But Ms Burroughs believes each organisation has a distinct role in the region.
"There isn't that much duplication," she said.
"The more people we have trying to do good for the region, the better [but] it's important we speak with one voice and be united and aligned; that's what we like to try and do."
Ms Burroughs said RDA Illawarra always had a good working relationship with the Minister for the Illawarra, using the position to push its cause in Parliament.
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