STATE BUDGET

STATE BUDGET

Member for Port Macquarie, Robert Dwyer has today welcomed the Minns Labor Government’s State Budget for a number of locally funding projects but is disappointed at the lack of vision and courage to continue to build infrastructure and to deliver services for not only the Port Macquarie electorate but across the entire state.

“Whilst I was very pleased to see $5 million in this year’s budget towards the commencement of the massive upgrade of Port Macquarie Base Hospital and $12.7 million for the start of construction later this year on the 94 social and affordable units in Port Macquarie, I am very disappointed that the Minns Labor Government couldn’t see fit to include any funding towards finalising the business case so the Federal Labor Government could be in a position to consider funding to upgrade the Oxley Highway.

“This is a vital project for our community to reduce the huge traffic congestion that sees 20,000 cars and 1,500 trucks use the highway each day. The bottleneck between the Wrights Road and Lake Road roundabouts is getting worse and is a grow sense of frustration for motorists.

“I have been advocating for the upgrade since starting this job on March, I’ve met with the Roads Minister, I’ve met with the Director Northern Region of Transport for NSW and I will continue to bang the drum along with my Local and Federal Government colleagues to get this job done once and for all.

“The Minns Labor Government needs to remember that it was the former State Labor Government that oversaw the planning and construction of the Oxley Highway that put us in the position that we are all in today and they need to fix.

“Pleasingly more than $34 million has been allocated to Lord Howe Island for the continuation of the marine infrastructure program and the waste management facility upgrade which are greatly needed projects.

“Residents in the Harrington and Coopernook communities will be relieved to know that $5.6 million has been provided to finalise planning and commencement of early works on the Pacific Highway Harrington Road Intersection Upgrade which is a jointly funded project between the State and Federal Governments.
 
“Disappointingly, despite the Premier visiting the Mid North Coast to witness the recent devastating floods, more than a month later we still do not have the Category D funding approved which would allow primary producers and small business owners impacted by the floods to get back on their feet with a $75,000 grant. It is simply not good enough. 

“We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis and families are truly struggling and this Government has missed another opportunity to take some of the financial pressures of families. They could have reinstated the Regional Seniors Travel Card, they could have reinstated the Active and Creative Kids Vouchers to help ease the burden on families.

“Across the state, there was so much more the Minns Labor Government could have done to better support small business like reducing payroll tax to a rate below 5%, raise the threshold to at least $1.3 million and index it to inflation as well as advocating for broader tax reform. These are issues Business NSW has been calling for and I fully support them.