Wollongong City Council is being pushed to seek answers over millions of dollars in missing mining royalties allegedly owed to the city.
The move comes after pressure from the Greens, with Councillor Jess Whittaker saying the withheld payments are worth around $25 million a year – money she says local communities have missed out on since about 2023.
Councillor Whittaker claims delays and changes at a state level have stalled the distribution of the funds, despite moves to introduce new legislation.
She says the royalties, while modest in the context of state revenue, would make a significant difference at a local level.
According to Whittaker, the funds are believed to be quarantined, with more than $100 million now sitting undistributed.
She says getting that money back into communities is critical, arguing it should be used to support local services and projects rather than sitting idle.
