26-06-2025
Donga City: Muswellbrook sets the standard for temporary accommodation
Muswellbrook Council has moved to head off the potential negative impacts from an influx of thousands of temporary workers who are due to descend on the shire in the near future.
The council estimates that more than 4500 workers will move into the area in the next five years to work on projects including the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone construction, the New England Highway bypass construction and power station decommissioning.
Councillors voted this week to prepare a temporary workforce accommodation policy, which aims to set the standard for NSW.
The policy mandates that any workforce accommodation proposal in the shire must be near or within towns and villages, not remote rural sites.
It must also support legacy uses such as aged care, tourism or housing and use local suppliers, services and medical providers wherever possible.
So-called 'wet mess' facilities for alcohol consumption must be avoided and workers should be integrated into the surrounding community.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said the policy reflected growing frustration with the state government and its agency EnergyCo.
He cited years of poor consultation and short-term thinking in relation to plans for isolated 'donga' accommodation for construction workers brought in to upgrade energy infrastructure.
"Worker accommodation that improves our shire is a major priority for council and that's reflected by councillors endorsing this policy. We're ahead of the pack because we've had to be. We're dealing with multiple major projects, almost weekly," Cr Drayton said.
"We've been communicating this for years and we're sick of being sidelined. We're not copping substandard camps on the outskirts of town - this policy promotes genuine investment in our community. If new technology and investment is going to work, it needs to work for the people who already live in Muswellbrook Shire."
An EnergyCo spokeswoman said the agency was proposing temporary accommodation to meet short-term construction needs and reduce pressure on the local rental market, helping to safeguard permanent housing for essential workers and residents.
"The current site was selected to reduce the need for long-distance travel and to help minimise traffic congestion. We will continue to work with the council on this and explore opportunities for long-lasting infrastructure benefits," she said.
Hundreds of workers are presently being recruited to work on the construction of the multi-billion-dollar Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), the first project of its kind in Australia.
Construction of the project began in April. It will deliver at least 4.5 gigawatts of new network capacity by 2028, to connect 7.7 gigawatts of wind and solar projects, which is enough to power more than 2 million homes each year.
Muswellbrook Council's policy will now go on public exhibition for 28 days before being finalised into policy.
The council's adoption of the framework follows its similar endorsement of a policy to prevent solar panels from an approved 135-megawatt solar project in the Shire from going into landfill.
Muswellbrook Council has moved to head off the potential negative impacts from an influx of thousands of temporary workers who are due to descend on the shire in the near future.
The council estimates that more than 4500 workers will move into the area in the next five years to work on projects including the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone construction, the New England Highway bypass construction and power station decommissioning.
Councillors voted this week to prepare a temporary workforce accommodation policy, which aims to set the standard for NSW.
The policy mandates that any workforce accommodation proposal in the shire must be near or within towns and villages, not remote rural sites.
It must also support legacy uses such as aged care, tourism or housing and use local suppliers, services and medical providers wherever possible.
So-called 'wet mess' facilities for alcohol consumption must be avoided and workers should be integrated into the surrounding community.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said the policy reflected growing frustration with the state government and its agency EnergyCo.
He cited years of poor consultation and short-term thinking in relation to plans for isolated 'donga' accommodation for construction workers brought in to upgrade energy infrastructure.
"Worker accommodation that improves our shire is a major priority for council and that's reflected by councillors endorsing this policy. We're ahead of the pack because we've had to be. We're dealing with multiple major projects, almost weekly," Cr Drayton said.
"We've been communicating this for years and we're sick of being sidelined. We're not copping substandard camps on the outskirts of town - this policy promotes genuine investment in our community. If new technology and investment is going to work, it needs to work for the people who already live in Muswellbrook Shire."
An EnergyCo spokeswoman said the agency was proposing temporary accommodation to meet short-term construction needs and reduce pressure on the local rental market, helping to safeguard permanent housing for essential workers and residents.
"The current site was selected to reduce the need for long-distance travel and to help minimise traffic congestion. We will continue to work with the council on this and explore opportunities for long-lasting infrastructure benefits," she said.
Hundreds of workers are presently being recruited to work on the construction of the multi-billion-dollar Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), the first project of its kind in Australia.
Construction of the project began in April. It will deliver at least 4.5 gigawatts of new network capacity by 2028, to connect 7.7 gigawatts of wind and solar projects, which is enough to power more than 2 million homes each year.
Muswellbrook Council's policy will now go on public exhibition for 28 days before being finalised into policy.
The council's adoption of the framework follows its similar endorsement of a policy to prevent solar panels from an approved 135-megawatt solar project in the Shire from going into landfill.
Muswellbrook Council has moved to head off the potential negative impacts from an influx of thousands of temporary workers who are due to descend on the shire in the near future.
The council estimates that more than 4500 workers will move into the area in the next five years to work on projects including the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone construction, the New England Highway bypass construction and power station decommissioning.
Councillors voted this week to prepare a temporary workforce accommodation policy, which aims to set the standard for NSW.
The policy mandates that any workforce accommodation proposal in the shire must be near or within towns and villages, not remote rural sites.
It must also support legacy uses such as aged care, tourism or housing and use local suppliers, services and medical providers wherever possible.
So-called 'wet mess' facilities for alcohol consumption must be avoided and workers should be integrated into the surrounding community.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said the policy reflected growing frustration with the state government and its agency EnergyCo.
He cited years of poor consultation and short-term thinking in relation to plans for isolated 'donga' accommodation for construction workers brought in to upgrade energy infrastructure.
"Worker accommodation that improves our shire is a major priority for council and that's reflected by councillors endorsing this policy. We're ahead of the pack because we've had to be. We're dealing with multiple major projects, almost weekly," Cr Drayton said.
"We've been communicating this for years and we're sick of being sidelined. We're not copping substandard camps on the outskirts of town - this policy promotes genuine investment in our community. If new technology and investment is going to work, it needs to work for the people who already live in Muswellbrook Shire."
An EnergyCo spokeswoman said the agency was proposing temporary accommodation to meet short-term construction needs and reduce pressure on the local rental market, helping to safeguard permanent housing for essential workers and residents.
"The current site was selected to reduce the need for long-distance travel and to help minimise traffic congestion. We will continue to work with the council on this and explore opportunities for long-lasting infrastructure benefits," she said.
Hundreds of workers are presently being recruited to work on the construction of the multi-billion-dollar Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), the first project of its kind in Australia.
Construction of the project began in April. It will deliver at least 4.5 gigawatts of new network capacity by 2028, to connect 7.7 gigawatts of wind and solar projects, which is enough to power more than 2 million homes each year.
Muswellbrook Council's policy will now go on public exhibition for 28 days before being finalised into policy.
The council's adoption of the framework follows its similar endorsement of a policy to prevent solar panels from an approved 135-megawatt solar project in the Shire from going into landfill.
Muswellbrook Council has moved to head off the potential negative impacts from an influx of thousands of temporary workers who are due to descend on the shire in the near future.
The council estimates that more than 4500 workers will move into the area in the next five years to work on projects including the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone construction, the New England Highway bypass construction and power station decommissioning.
Councillors voted this week to prepare a temporary workforce accommodation policy, which aims to set the standard for NSW.
The policy mandates that any workforce accommodation proposal in the shire must be near or within towns and villages, not remote rural sites.
It must also support legacy uses such as aged care, tourism or housing and use local suppliers, services and medical providers wherever possible.
So-called 'wet mess' facilities for alcohol consumption must be avoided and workers should be integrated into the surrounding community.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said the policy reflected growing frustration with the state government and its agency EnergyCo.
He cited years of poor consultation and short-term thinking in relation to plans for isolated 'donga' accommodation for construction workers brought in to upgrade energy infrastructure.
"Worker accommodation that improves our shire is a major priority for council and that's reflected by councillors endorsing this policy. We're ahead of the pack because we've had to be. We're dealing with multiple major projects, almost weekly," Cr Drayton said.
"We've been communicating this for years and we're sick of being sidelined. We're not copping substandard camps on the outskirts of town - this policy promotes genuine investment in our community. If new technology and investment is going to work, it needs to work for the people who already live in Muswellbrook Shire."
An EnergyCo spokeswoman said the agency was proposing temporary accommodation to meet short-term construction needs and reduce pressure on the local rental market, helping to safeguard permanent housing for essential workers and residents.
"The current site was selected to reduce the need for long-distance travel and to help minimise traffic congestion. We will continue to work with the council on this and explore opportunities for long-lasting infrastructure benefits," she said.
Hundreds of workers are presently being recruited to work on the construction of the multi-billion-dollar Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), the first project of its kind in Australia.
Construction of the project began in April. It will deliver at least 4.5 gigawatts of new network capacity by 2028, to connect 7.7 gigawatts of wind and solar projects, which is enough to power more than 2 million homes each year.
Muswellbrook Council's policy will now go on public exhibition for 28 days before being finalised into policy.
The council's adoption of the framework follows its similar endorsement of a policy to prevent solar panels from an approved 135-megawatt solar project in the Shire from going into landfill.
