Serena Copley, Liberal for Kiama. Click here to learn more.
Broken promises for flood impacted communities
The NSW Opposition has called out an appalling broken promise in the Minns Government’s first budget which reveals at minimum a $300m gap in the funding provided to deliver vital road upgrades to North-West Sydney.
In the 2023/24 Budget, the Minns Government committed $200m over two years for the Western Sydney Flood Resilience program[1].
However in examining the projects, the Opposition can reveal the Government has only provided 40% of the total cost to deliver these works.
|
Project |
Labor Funding |
Pre-election Cost |
|
Richmond Road Upgrade – M7 to Townson Road |
$200m over two years |
$285m |
|
Pitt Town Bypass |
$100m [2] |
|
|
Garfield Road East Upgrade |
$100m |
|
|
Upgrade the intersection of The Driftway and Londonderry Road |
$15m |
|
|
Total funding |
$200m |
$500m |
|
Shortfall |
- $300m |
|
These projects were funded for delivery by the Coalition Government prior to the election through the WestInvest Fund, which required projects to have a finalised business case. During the election campaign the Labor Opposition matched the funding for the majority of these projects[3].
Shadow Minister for Roads Natalie Ward commented on the broken promise “Cutting funding to flood resilience infrastructure is a disgrace, they promised the projects before the election and now they can’t deliver it.”
“The Government needs to explain how it intends on delivering four projects inside two years with 40% of the funding – it doesn’t add up, just like Labor’s budget.”
Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston commented “This Labor Government shouldn’t give false hope by announcing vital infrastructure projects without adequate funding.”
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