{"id":38002,"date":"2026-03-19T20:08:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T09:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=38002"},"modified":"2026-03-19T20:08:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T09:08:50","slug":"new-taskforce-to-coordinate-support-for-great-western-highway-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/new-taskforce-to-coordinate-support-for-great-western-highway-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"New Taskforce to coordinate support for Great Western Highway communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Minns Labor Government has today announced the establishment of the Great Western Highway Community Coordination Taskforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Taskforce is a whole-of-government initiative chaired by the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW, designed to streamline support to those impacted by the prolonged closure of the Great Western Highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The NSW Government recognises the significant and ongoing disruption this has caused across the Blue Mountains and the Central West for communities, local businesses freight and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The NSW Reconstruction Authority\u2019s coordinating role in recovery makes them the ideal agency to support the whole-of-government response for this disruption. The Taskforce will provide a single point of contact for those affected to raise issues with the NSW Government and enable direct collaboration between state agencies to ensure support can be directed where it\u2019s needed most.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Taskforce will include representatives from NSW Government agencies, local councils, industry and community stakeholders to ensure government decision-making is informed by the needs of residents and businesses. It will hold its inaugural meeting this Friday, 20 March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The closure of the Great Western Highway remains in place following a serious geotechnical failure at Mitchell\u2019s Causeway. While testing and monitoring remain underway, Transport for NSW continues to observe significant cracking and movement at the closure site, reinforcing the need for a cautious and safety-led response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Transport for NSW remains the lead agency for managing the closure, site investigations, detours, traffic operations and public transport alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interim, the NSW Government is also providing the following support:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Transport<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Extra rail, coach and bus services have been introduced to support Blue Mountains and Central West communities, while amended school and regular route bus services are helping reduce journey times for students affected by the closure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Bells Line of Road remains open and continues to carry most detoured traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crews are taking advantage of the final weeks of warm weather to complete essential road works on the Darling Causeway, including widening shoulders on the narrow route to improve safety and support traffic flow during the closure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An incident management team has been established to coordinate with local councils, freight operators, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and other agencies, while the NHVR has established an enforcement site at Mount Boyce to strengthen oversight of the freight task and traffic movements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Local business<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Acting Small Business Commissioner is meeting with Lithgow and Blue Mountains Business Chambers and local businesses to identify the support needed to navigate the closure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tourism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Destination NSW is working with Destination Central West, Blue Mountains Tourism and local councils to understand the challenges facing tourism operators and identify where support can be provided, including through coordinated promotional activity and visitor messaging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A broader regional response is already underway, including business engagement with industry, work on a regional tourism and communications approach, and ongoing coordination with councils and local stakeholders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The NSW Government is committed to providing regular updates as testing and work continues on the site, across the detour network, and through the wider community support effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This remains a serious public safety issue. The Government\u2019s focus is on reopening the road safely, managing the disruption and ensuring communities are kept informed throughout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a serious disruption that is having an impact on community, business, freight \u2013 this is why our response must be broader than the road itself; we want the community to help inform our response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI reaffirm that Transport for NSW remains focused on the operational task: managing the closure, the detours, the transport network and the technical work needed to reopen this road safely and as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt the same time, we are making sure the broader community impacts are being addressed, including for small businesses, tourism operators, schools, freight and essential services through this whole of Government response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a serious geotechnical failure on an essential connection and people deserve clear, regular and honest updates, and that is exactly what we are committed to providing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe know this closure is creating uncertainty for local tourism operators across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat is why Destination NSW is working closely with Destination Central West, councils and local tourism bodies to understand the impacts and identify the right support and promotional opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Blue Mountains and Central West remain open for business, and we want to make sure communities and operators are supported through this disruption and well positioned for recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Recovery and Small Business, Janelle Saffin said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The establishment of this Taskforce is about making sure communities are not left to navigate this disruption on their own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur focus is on creating a formal mechanism to streamline information across all levels of government, ensuring clear and consistent public information as the situation evolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe NSW Reconstruction Authority\u2019s specialised experience in coordinating large-scale recovery efforts is exactly what\u2019s needed to navigate the challenges of this current disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am pleased the NSW Reconstruction Authority is able to support Transport for NSW in ensuring the state\u2019s resources are aligned to the needs of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis closure is being felt right across the Mountains and beyond, and local residents, businesses and communities need coordinated support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI welcome this stronger whole-of-government response and practical support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe know this is a very difficult period for many local businesses and families, and it is important that government continues listening and responding as the situation develops.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NSW Labor spokesperson for Bathurst, Stephen Lawrence MLC said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have been speaking directly with local residents, businesses and industry who are feeling the impact of this closure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis taskforce is about ensuring local voices are heard.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Minns Labor Government has today announced the establishment of the Great Western Highway Community Coordination Taskforce. The Taskforce is a whole-of-government initiative chaired by the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW, designed to streamline support to those impacted by the prolonged closure of the Great Western Highway. The NSW Government recognises the significant &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/new-taskforce-to-coordinate-support-for-great-western-highway-communities\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;New Taskforce to coordinate support for Great Western Highway communities&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nswnews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38003,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38002\/revisions\/38003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}