Illawarra Does Poorly in Big Budget Spend

“The general focus on infrastructure in this budget is welcome if long overdue. Unfortunately the Illawarra has not been singled out for any major new infrastructure spending,” Ms Hale said.

“In transport the only initiatives specifically for the Illawarra appear to be reheated previous announcements of new train carriages and commuter carparks. No new initiatives have been announced for rail or road upgrades in the Illawarra.”

“In health no major capital expenditure has been announced for any of the Illawarra’s public hospitals other than $1.7 million for a Child and Adolescent Inpatient Unit at Shellharbour Hospital.”

“The Illawarra will get its share of the new Community Building Partnership funding of $300,000 per electorate for improving community facilities, but while this is welcome it applies to every electorate in the state.”

“Illawarra local councils may be able to access the $200 million Local Infrastructure Fund but this will only be a loan and will not make up for the money the government has taken away from councils by capping the levies that can be charged on new developers,” said Ms Hale.

“Overall, the budget’s focus on employment and infrastructure spending is welcome but once again the Illawarra has been seen as a safe Labor area and taken for granted,” concluded Ms Hale.