MEMBER for Wyong David Harris said the Central Coast had been blindsided by the state government's decision not to appoint a new Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter and Central Coast.
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When Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday it contained 17 parliamentary secretaries across a range of focus areas - but not for the Central Coast or Hunter.
Mr Harris said the only minister who had shown interest in the Central Coast outside election time, former Planning Minister Anthony Roberts, had been demoted.
"The government's first act since being elected is to put the Coast at the bottom of their priorities list," Mr Harris said.
"Not only have they failed to appoint a representative for our region but they have demoted the only minister who visited outside election time.
"This reshuffle is a blunt demotion for our whole region."
Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes said scrapping the local parliamentary secretary role meant the region had lost an important voice in Macquarie Street.
"The Hunter has enjoyed the representation of a dedicated Minister or Parliamentary Secretary for about the past 30 years and the person in that role has been an important advocate for regional issues at ministerial level," Mr Hawes said.
He said the chamber would write to the Premier to ask her to reconsider the decision.
Mr Hawes said former Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, had been a strong advocate for the region, was well known and respected locally and had been successful putting regional issues on the government agenda.
A spokesperson for the government said every parliamentary secretary was tasked with considering the needs of every region, including the Hunter.
