A submarine-led recovery for the Hunter Valley?

The lack of a viable industry policy at a regional and national level combined with poor trade policies have led to a flood of job losses. This has hit regional areas hard. Sadly Labor governments have stood back and allowed jobs to go offshore.

As Australia comes out of the global financial crisis now is a critical time to invest in jobs that deliver value for the public dollars invested and can achieve outcomes that meet the requirements of life in the 21st century.

In the Hunter an industry policy needs to deal with the problem that there are structural limits on jobs growth. The dominance of coal mining in the government's planning, at a time when employment in the industry has plateaued, remains a stumbling block to innovative use of public money for new industries.

A more responsible plan for the Hunter's future would promote growth in public education and renewable energy industries. This is the way to deliver sustainable jobs well into the future. And if Labor politicians could take off their pro-coal blinkers they would realise that this path is also a vote winner.

This dual approach can already be seen at Newcastle University. Under Professor Bill Mitchell the Centre for Full Employment and Equity has identified 73,800 jobs that could be created across NSW if the state changed to 100 per cent renewable energy.

But right now the push is on for a Hunter defence hub specialising in submarine construction. As this cannot occur without government intervention, the question the people of the Hunter have a right to ask is whether this is the preferable way forward.

Unfortunately, the chances of the current government re-evaluating the worth of a defence hub and shifting over to education and renewable energy industries are nil. Labor strategists desperate to stop the bleeding of votes in the Hunter will be working for a submarine-led recovery for their sitting MPs.

It would be a safe bet to expect that in the countdown to the state election Ms McKay will regularly line up with Premier Kenneally, hard hats and fluoro jackets at the ready, to tout the defence hub plan as a good news story for the fading Labor star.