NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey outlined the budget challenges faced by the people of NSW with high inflation, cost of living pressures, housing shortages, public hospital emergency delays, need for school improvements and addressing crime issues.
Mr Mookhey was born in Blacktown Hospital and grew up in the local area and he knows that Western Sydney residents want to hear solutions and a way forward rather than just focusing on problems.
The Budget provided investment into infrastructure, housing, health and schools whilst reducing the Government debt and delivering cost of living support measures.
In summary, the NSW Budget provided:
Housing:
• Biggest investment in social housing in the history of the NSW Government.
• 3,100 new homes for victim-survivors of domestic violence.
• 5,300 new homes for public housing.
• $1 billion maintenance funding for improvements to 33,500 social homes.
• 30,000 new homes for key workers to rent.
Community Improvements:
• Councils to access a $200 million incentive fund.
• $245.6 million emergency intervention package to support and protect domestic violence survivors.
• Additional $1.4 million supporting funding for PCYCs.
• Full-time wage payment for police recruits.
• Delivering additional funding for the election promise to Blacktown Women’s and Girls’ Health Centre.
• Funding for the masterplan for Riverstone Town Centre.
Cost of Living:
• GP payroll tax obligations removed if 80% of the patients are bulk billed. This will encourage more local doctors to bulk bill patients.
• $60 weekly toll cap.
Health:
• $120 million continuation funding for Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospitals for more beds and staff to reduce emergency waiting times.
• $700 million continuation funding for Rouse Hill Hospital.
• Family Start package expanding early intervention to give mums and bubs the best start to life.
• $118 million investment into mental health.
• Rolling out the safe staffing ratios at hospitals.
Transport:
• $24.7 million to expand bus transport to cover more of growing north-west Sydney—areas expanded but that have been poorly serviced by buses, or have had no bus services at all.
• $520 million (funded jointly with the Federal Government) widening of Richmond Rd to Townsend Rd and improvements to M7 Richmond Rd intersection.
• $20 million to complete the $280 million Prospect Highway upgrades (funded jointly with the Federal Government).
• Garfield Rd east upgrades $230 million (funded jointly with the Federal Government).
• Planning work for Bandon Road.
Education:
Across Blacktown City:
New Public Preschools School Upgrades New Schools
Blackett Public School
Blacktown North Public School
Crawford Public School
Emerton Public School
Hebersham Public School
Lynwood Public School
Melonba Public School
Nirimba Fields Public School
Shalvey Public School Bidwill Public School
Blacktown North Public School
Chifley College Mt Druitt Campus
Crawford Public School
Riverstone Public School
Shalvey Public School
Riverbank Public School
Schofields Public School
The Ponds High School Nirimba Fields Public School
Schofields / Tallawong High School
Tallawong Public School
The Budget:
• Previous Liberal Government projected that State Gross debt would rise to $188.2 billion by June 2026 but the Minns Labor Government will now reduce this by $9.3 billion.
• Abolishing the wages cap and improving public sector wages - lifting many occupations from the worst paid across the country.
Mr Mookey said, “the 2024 Budget builds the foundation of a better New South Wales.”
Stephen Bali MP NSW Member for Blacktown said: “I am ecstatic that the drought on additional funding for Blacktown Schools has broken after 13 years.”
“Hundreds of millions of dollars was provided to massive school upgrades across the northern suburbs during the Liberal Government era but schools where the population was growing across Blacktown City received nothing.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car MP, Member for Londonderry said: “In our public schools, we are continuing to rebuild the public education system by delivering from basic things all the way to classrooms and specialist science laboratories.
“NSW Labor Government has invested into the teaching workforce to lift student outcomes and expand access to early education to ensure every child has a strong start in life.”
Dr Hugh McDermott MP, NSW Member for Prospect said: “I was delighted with the health investment by supporting GPs to improve access for families to bulk billing services.
“Investments into our hospitals to increase staffing through safe staffing ratios will improve the experience for both patients and staff and improve health outcomes in our local area.”
Edmond Atalla MP, NSW Member for Mount Druitt said: “Labor Governments investment into the Police Force will increase police at our stations, improve community policing and make our streets safer.”
“The NSW Labor Government is upgrading technology particularly for the High-Tech Crime Branch and paying for police recruits to attend Goulburn Police Academy.
Warren Kirby MP, NSW Member for Riverstone said: “I welcome the investment into transport, schools and health particularly when Riverstone and Northwest are one of the fastest growing populations in Australia.”
“State Government is investing to complete the Riverstone masterplan working with council and residents to meet the needs of our residents. Garfield and Bandon roads previously forgotten are now be planned as major connectors of the future.”
