The lessons of COVID-19, fires, and floods that impacted regions like Dubbo highlighted Dominic Perrottet's first budget as premier delivered by his treasurer Matt Kean.
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It also builds on a decade of responsible economic management to deliver prosperity and a brighter future for the people of Dubbo, Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said.
In welcoming the budget released on Tuesday, Mr Saunders, the minister for agriculture and western NSW, said the list of budget commitments is "steadfast support for families and businesses."
The list of commitments from the 2022-2023 budget to directly benefit Dubbo includes:
- $8.5 million to continue delivery of the $306.3 million Dubbo Health Service redevelopment (Stages 1 to 4, car park and Cancer Centre)
- $8 million to continue construction of overtaking lanes between Narromine and Dubbo on the Mitchell Highway
- $6 million upgrade to biomedical equipment across the Western NSW Local Health District to improve reliability and ensure better care and outcomes for patients in major hospitals and smaller rural communities
- Almost $10 million to continue social housing investments across Dubbo
- $7.8 million to commence Rawsonville Bridge construction
- $31.7 million for the new purpose-built office hub in Dubbo to accommodate 650 government workers in western NSW
- $32.8 million to commence construction of the new Dubbo Bridge on the Newell Highway over the Macquarie River, Dubbo (state and federal funds)
- $68.4 million for the planning and construction of overtaking lanes along the full length of the Newell Highway (state and federal funds), including in the Central West
- $399.1 million in capital expenditure ($835.6 million over four years) to continue delivery of a new modern Regional Rail to replace the ageing XPT, XPLORER and Endeavour trains and construct the new purpose-built Mindyarra Maintenance Centre in Dubbo
- Almost $27.5 million for enhancements to the Main Western Rail Line Capacity between Lithgow, Dubbo and Parkes,
- $23.8 million for the construction of the $35 million NSW Police Dubbo Regional Education and Training Centre
- $17 million to enhance the Visitor Experience at Taronga Western Plains Zoo - including $7.9 million for the Platypus Visitor and Education Centre
- Additional $19.3 million for NSW Centre for Wildlife Rescue, Conservation Medicine and Species Recovery at Taronga Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo
The Regional Growth Fund has received an extra $1.3 billion for the next generation to build on the success of the program and help make regions like Dubbo an even better place to live, Mr Saunders said.
The regional funding includes:
- $250 million to expand the Stronger Country Communities Fund, supporting grassroots projects to reinvigorate rural communities
- $230 million to support tourism development projects and enabling infrastructure, leveraging recent significant growth in regional tourism and supporting job creation
- $220 million to expand the Resources for Regions program, supporting the ongoing prosperity of mining communities by improving economic opportunities and local amenities, and creating positive social outcomes
- $175 million for economic activation, providing investment to existing key industries in regional New South Wales
- $100 million for the Regional Job Creation Fund to support NSW businesses to grow and incentivise interstate and international businesses to invest in regional New South Wales
- $65 million for Regional Events Acceleration to allow it to reach a wider audience across the regions
- $20 million to support projects and events for the activation of business opportunities in community facilities
- $18.4 million for local community and cultural events to bring people together
- $9.6 million to support and strengthen regional communities and councils, including priority projects and partnerships
"We're continuing to invest in the ongoing recovery from the Black Summer bushfires, which impacted the mid-western region, while emergency service personnel from right across the electorate rallied to assist the hardest-hit communities around the state," Mr Saunders said.
All 76 recommendations of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry in partnership with the Commonwealth have been accepted with $315.2 million in funding such as:
- $147.9 million for extending hazard reduction activities
- $129.7 million for firefighting tanker replacements and safety upgrades
- $27.7 million over four years to upgrade and operate National Parks radio infrastructure enabling firefighters to gain critical access to the NSW Public Safety Network
- $10 million to continue the delivery of critical strategic fire trails
Overall, Mr Saunders said the budget is a set of comprehensive measures to boost family bottom lines and support communities impacted by floods and improve health services.
- $33 billion health investment to recruit more than 10,000 full-time equivalent staff to hospitals, ambulances and allied health services
- $2.4 billion over 10 years to attract doctors and nurses to rural and regional hospitals to make sure no matter where a person lives they have access to quality healthcare
- $16.5 billion over 10 years to break the barriers to opportunity for women and help give children the best start in life, including investing in affordable and accessible childcare, and creating a universal year of pre-kindergarten in the year before school
- More than $7.2 billion in cost-of-living measures, including the Premier's Back to School program and new Energy Bill Buster Program
- $2.8 billion to help more families find a place to call home, including $728.6 million for tax reform to help people own their first home, provide new and upgraded social homes, and new and upgraded homes in regional areas for frontline workers and for First Nations people
- $1.2 billion to establish the Transmission Acceleration Facility, which will unlock massive investments in our electricity system and build our renewable energy zones-the power stations of the future
- $715.8 million for First Nations policies and programs
- $703.4 million for the Future Economy Fund-while many of the industries of the future haven't been thought of yet, this Fund will mean countless of them will be created here
- $128 million for the Energy Buster program to help households cut energy bills by installing rooftop solar and energy-efficient appliances
"The people of New South Wales have stood tall through enormous challenges over the past few years, and this budget backs in their efforts, with more steadfast support, stronger services, and strategic reform to set our state up for a brighter future," Mr Perrottet said.
"For more than a decade we have delivered on our vision, reinforcing the state's economic foundations, rebuilding the infrastructure, and establishing services strong enough to withstand unprecedented pressures.
"With this budget, the government sets out a transformational roadmap for the decade ahead, delivering not just for our people today, but for generations to come."
Elizabeth Frias
I began my news reporting days in western and inner west Sydney before joining the Daily Liberal's Dubbo NSW newsroom. Telling all sorts of stories about people, places and events is my daily preoccupation so email me at elizabeth.frias@austcommunitymedia.com.au and I'll be in touch!
I began my news reporting days in western and inner west Sydney before joining the Daily Liberal's Dubbo NSW newsroom. Telling all sorts of stories about people, places and events is my daily preoccupation so email me at elizabeth.frias@austcommunitymedia.com.au and I'll be in touch!
