The front page of Wednesday’s edition of the Illawarra Mercury was provocative.
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Deliberately so.
The headline on the front page screamed “The Cupboard Was Baird”.
It was simply pointing out the budget delivered nothing in terms of new projects for the Illawarra region.
It was aimed at sending a message to those in the halls of power in Sydney that this community – or at least this masthead – would not just accept this any longer as “something that just happens”.
We know the message was heard because when the Premier went to address a Dorothy Dixer on the budget in Parliament on Wednesday he was greeted by members of the Opposition waving copies of the Illawarra Mercury front page at him.
Interestingly, South Coast MP and speaker Shelley Hancock banned the display of the front pages further and admonished the Opposition.
It was a planned action by the Opposition but not something the Illawarra Mercury was aware would happen beforehand.
Hopefully it reminds the Premier of where Wollongong is and what this region means to the state.
The Premier has hardly been sighted in NSW’s third largest city and that is just a little odd.
Hopefully it at least gives the Premier a greater understanding that there is life outside of Sydney and Western Sydney.
Premier, we’d love to have you in Wollongong and work at planning a brighter, better future for the city as well as the region as a whole.
GOOD SIGN FOR CITY
Major Swedish fashion retail chain H&M coming to Wollongong is a great sign for the city.
The fact the retailer identified Wollongong as one of its sites of planned expansion can only bode well.
“It brings an international flavour,’’ Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said.
“I think Wollongong needs to position itself more for the market that is assembling around our CBD.
“Wollongong is now a very cosmopolitan city and it fits in with our ethos.”
The news, while rumoured for some time, is particularly good after the announcement David Jones would be closing its northern Crown Street store.
City retailers rejoice.