Media Release - 2 March 2026
The Greens successfully pushed Wollongong City Council to get more information from the NSW Government about missing mining royalties the city is entitled to.
Councillor Jess Whittaker tabled the motion at the 23rd Feb meeting, which, once amended, passed unanimously. The motion directed the General Manager to write to the NSW Minister for Natural Resources, Courtney Houssos, to seek clarification on the status of the funding.
The NSW Government established the Royalties for Regions Fund more than a decade ago, which allocated at least $25 million each year to support the state’s coal mining communities.
The fund was quarantined in the 2023-24 NSW budget, but despite this there is no publicly available information about what has happened with the money.
Greens Councillor Jess Whittaker said:
“The Illawarra is being starved of royalties funding by a state government without any indication of what has happened to the money. The ‘Royalties for Regions Fund’ was ceased, and it has become a confusing trail of funds set up, quarantined and renamed. It’s time to get the royalties flowing back into our communities, who are the ones putting up with the impacts of these industries.”
“The Royalties for Rejuvenation fund was quarantined nearly three years ago. The Future Jobs and Investment Authority was an election commitment, and it is speculated as being the replacement, but there is limited information available around timing and scope.”
“The subsequent Royalties For Rejuvenation Fund was intended to transition our workforces with targeted investments towards strategic planning, workforce development programs, constructing enabling infrastructure, and establishing new industries and employment opportunities. These funds haven’t flowed to coal mining communities. I am pleased councillors agree the state government, and our local members of parliament, need to explain why.”
“Many in the community are concerned about fossil fuel sponsorship of community events such as the Ride Wollongong Festival. The cycling community feel conflicted about supporting these initiatives as they don’t want to participate in a sportswashing exercise. It’s difficult to argue we should reject this small amount of funding for a community event, when it appears to be the only scrap of funding we are currently getting from the sector.”
For comment - Cr Jess Whittaker
