Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has continued on with the push for the city to be named as the TAFE NSW digital education hub, with the local MP making representations to Regional Development Minister John Barilaro, in Sydney this week.

In a move which could see the new headquarters constructed in the city, following a restructure of the vocational education and training giant announced last month, Armidale Regional Council and the University of New England have also come on board to support the move.

The state member presented the minister with letters pledging support for the project from local authorities and organisations and he described Armidale’s case for the facility as “overwhelming”. However he also admitted there were other MPs competing for the same project, in other electorates.

“The city has arguably the best digital infrastructure of any urban centre in the country, which should be a primary criteria for deciding the location of this new unit,” Mr Marshall said.

“Armidale is a wonderfully family-friendly city. It has the whole gamut of schools – public, private, Catholic and alternative – a renowned university and a location that provides its residents access to some of Australia’s greatest wilderness, including several World Heritage areas.”

Mr Marshall said the city would stand at a great advantage if the facility should be established.

“Preliminary estimates suggest that the unit might have about 60 employees. In a capital city, these people would be swallowed up,” he said, They and their families would provide a terrific economic boost to local business, swell numbers in our schools, and boost the capacity of community groups.”

Following on from the planned relocation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale in the near future, announced by Federal Member for New England Barnaby Joyce in June, Mr Marshall believed the recognition that such services are moving to the area should not go unnoticed in his case. He said he expects the Minister to determine the location of the new TAFE NSW Digital headquarters within weeks.