MEMBER for Wyong, David Harris, said the State Budget again failed to deliver for the Central Coast.
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The final State Budget before the 2019 election had left Central Coast residents with a series of re-announced projects and further waits for delayed and cancelled projects, Mr Harris said.
Despite the $3.9 billion surplus and a raft of privatisations and service cuts that have affected the Central Coast, the Budget delivered no new major projects, he said.
The Shadow Minister for the Central Coast noted there would be no start to construction on the Pacific Highway upgrade through Wyong, and only 10 per cent of the total funding for the $200 million promised for Wyong Hospital was forthcoming.
“The government has now spent $27 million planning the Pacific Highway upgrade but hasn’t put a shovel in the ground; local tax payers have a right to be angry,” Mr Harris said.
“The Liberals have been dragged kicking and screaming to put any public money into upgrading Wyong Hospital after their failed attempt to privatise it.”
Mr Harris was also critical of the timing of the government’s spending on schools in the electorate.
“After eight years, only prior to an election can the Liberals find the money to fund a single school being built on the Coast,” he said.
Yasmin Catley, whose Swansea electorate takes in such towns as Lake Munmorah, Chain Valley Bay, Doyalson, Buff Point and Halekulani, was also critical of the Budget.
“This is a Budget full of fanfare and bluster that delivers very little new money for the Central Coast,” Ms Catley said.
“I’ve been calling on the government to fund a solution to Carters Road in Lake Munmorah for four years now, and this Budget shows the government continues to sit on their hands while chaos reigns.”
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Scot MacDonald, said key Budget highlights for the top end of the Central Coast included.-
- continuing works on the $200-million redevelopment of Wyong Hospital with $23.5 million allocated in 2018-19;
- a start to works on the $10.2 million Wyong Hospital car park with $6.5 million allocated in 2018-19; and
- $168.2 million in 2018-19 for road improvements, including $127.3 million for the continuing construction on the M1 Pacific Motorway between the Tuggerah and Doyalson interchanges.
The government is predicting a surplus of $3.9 billion for 2017-18, with average surpluses of $1.6 billion over the four years to 2021-22.
