COUNTRY LABOR DIALOGUE

C O N N E C T I N G C O U N T R Y C O M M U N I T I E S – J U LY 2 0 1 0
NSW BUDGET 2010
Big win for country NSW
Rural and regional NSW were the big winners in the June State Budget.
“The Keneally Government is
delivering record investments in
rural and regional communities,”
said NSW Budget Country Labor
Convenor, Christine Robertson MLC.

The Keneally Government is

investing $3.5 billion in rural and
regional roads – that’s more
than 70% of the total NSW roads
budget. This includes major funding
for the Pacific, Princes, Hume and
Great Western Highways.
Rural and regional transport will
also receive a boost with $355
million in private bus services
for and $34.2 million to fund
CountryLink concession travel for
pensioners and students.
A record $4.4 billion will be
invested in country hospitals
follows the Keneally Government’s
historic agreement with the
Commonwealth on health reform.
There will be a $5.2 billion
investment in rural and regional
education, including $94 million
for major upgrades at 42 schools
and $55 million for upgrades
at 22 TAFE colleges.
Country broadband internet
services, country halls and small
community websites would receive
Country Labor MPs welcomed
the record investment in rural
and regional NSW in the recent
further funding of $3.14 million.
Community halls are at the centre
of our local towns and villages and
it’s great news that this program
will receive an additional $550,000
to help with the refurbishment and
upgrade of country halls.”
In addition, there is a $10 million
boost in the 2010-11 Budget
for neighbourhood and other
community centres across NSW.
Other initiatives in rural and
regional NSW included:
$1.02 billion for Ageing,
Disability and Home care
support, up 9.3% on last year.
$972 million for Emergency
Services delivering more fire
engines and other equipment.
State Budget.
More than $544 million in
water infrastructure including
$30.4 million to improve
sustainability in the Murray
Darling Basin.
$15 million for a courthouse
for Armidale and major capital
works at health facilities in
Taree, Port Macquarie and
Queanbeyan.
An extra $61 million to continue
construction of the Cessnock
Correctional Centre and
$20 million towards the new
correctional facility at South
Nowra. Security upgrades will
also be delivered for Bathurst,
Lithgow, Grafton, Kariong,
Berrima, Cooma, Broken
Hill, Ivanhoe, Tamworth and
St Heliers at Muswellbrook.

Building on
Community
Building
Partnership
success
The Keneally Government is
extending the popular Community
Building Partnership – giving
community groups across NSW the
chance to apply for their share of a
further $35 million for local projects.
1180 projects in every electorate
across NSW were funded under last
year’s partnership, including:
$18,883 to refurbish the Blue
Mountains Women’s Health Centre
in Katoomba;
$5000 towards new tennis court
lighting at Lake Cathie Tennis Club,
Port Macquarie; and
$5000 to paint the hall and toilets
at Kiama’s Country Women’s
Association’s branch.
Last year, the NSW Government invested
$1.15 million in 77 projects for the Scouts
Association, $114,000 on nine projects
for Girl Guides and $957,000 on 40
projects at PCYCs across NSW.
Under the 2010 NSW Community
Building Partnership, $300,000 will be
invested into local community projects
in each of the 93 NSW electoral
districts – with a further $100,000
available to be invested in areas with
higher unemployment.
The partnership is open to community
groups, not-for-profit organisations,
non-government organisations and
local councils. Councils will be required
to make a co-contribution.
Submissions opened on 15 June and
close on 23 July. For more information
go to www.communitybuilding
partnership.nsw.gov.au
Connecting
rural communities
Premier Kristina Keneally and Minister for Primary Industr
are working to bring affordable broadb
The Keneally Government
will invest $3.14 million to
bring broadband Internet
connections to isolated
rural communities, improve
country halls and help small
communities establish
websites.
“This will help bridge the
communication gap for families
in small communities by bringing
affordable broadband internet to
the heart of rural NSW,” Minister
for Primary Industries, Steve
Whan said
Country halls are the traditional
centre of activity in local
communities and the Keneally
Government will continue to
provide much needed funding to
ensure they remained the hub of
small communities.
ies Steve Whan
and interne t to rural NSW.
The Country Halls Renewal
Package will receive an allocation
of $550,000 to assist with
refurbishment and renovation of
country halls.
The Government will also
continue providing funds so
that more rural and remote
communities can promote
themselves to the world.
$90,000 has been provided
in the Budget for the Small
Communities Awareness Fund
to enable community groups
to cost-effectively market
themselves through a website.
Grants of up to $5000 will
be available to help small
communities to develop a
website, showcasing their
attractions and tourist and
investment opportunities.
Record investment for NSW roads
The Keneally Government will
invest a record $4.7 billion to build
and maintain roads across NSW.
MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDE:
$24 million to complete
construction, funded by the
Federal Government, of the
Alstonville Bypass on the
Bruxner Highway;
$12 million to complete
construction of the third crossing
of the Hunter River at Maitland;
$6.7 million jointly funded with
the Federal Government to
complete improvements to
the Kings Highway between
Queanbeyan and Bungendore;
$827 million invested in the
Pacific Highway upgrade
between Hexham and the
Queensland border;
$345 million to continue
duplication of the final sections
of 2-lane Hume Highway
between Sydney and Melbourne;
$340 million to continue
construction, jointly
funded with the Federal
Government, of the Hunter
Expressway between the F3
Massive boost for hospitals and healthcare
The Keneally Government
will invest a record $16.4 billion
on health services in 2010-11.
This record spending follows the
Government’s historic agreement
with the Commonwealth on health
reform. This new funding will see
the establishment of an additional
380 acute care beds and 105 sub-
acute beds in 2010-11.
Rural and regional initiatives
include:
$180.1 million further investment
in Orange Base Hospital;
$4.6 million to complete
planning and start work on
the Tamworth Hospital
redevelopment and the
More than 70% of the roads budget will
be spent in rural and regional NSW this
at Seahampton and the New
England Highway at Branxton;
$40 million to continue
construction of the Oxley
Highway upgrade to 4 lanes
between Wrights Road and
the Pacific Highway at Port
Macquarie;
$18 million funded by the
Federal Government to start
construction of the realignment
of the Barton Highway at
Gounyan curves; and
new cancer centre;
$5.1 million to finalise planning
and start the $90 million Stage
1 redevelopment of Wagga
Wagga Base Hospital;
$35.9 million to expand NSW
Health’s Multi Purpose Service
and Health One programs for
rural communities;
$200,000 to begin planning the
$22.7 million Dubbo Health
Service Stage 1;
$11.1 million for projects on the
South Coast, including starting
planning for an elective surgery
unit at Wollongong Hospital,
renal dialysis expansion
at Shellharbour and the
year.
$10 million for planning and
preconstruction of a new
bridge over the railway line at
Thornton.
$2.6 million funded by the
Federal Government to continue
construction of the Moree
Bypass on the Newell Highway.
Minister for Roads, David Borger,
said this was the biggest road
investment program in NSW’s
history and an increase of $300
million on last year’s record budget.
Shoalhaven Regional Cancer
Centre at Nowra;
$24.8 million to redevelop
ambulance stations at
Cessnock and Murwillumbah
and complete Batemans
Bay, Byron Bay, Nelson Bay,
Coonamble and Murrurundi
as well as ambulance fleet
replacement program; and
$5.1 million to expand
radiotherapy services including
an additional 33 specialty
staff to provide enhanced
consultative services at
Gosford, Lismore, Nowra,
Port Macquarie and
Wollongong.
 N EW
Supporting youth and Courthouses
in record justice
regional jobs investment
The Keneally Government will invest $64 million
The Keneally Government will
in jobs initiatives including the employment of 1000
invest $828 million in justice
new apprentices, 500 JumpStart cadets and support services across NSW and a
to 80 Indigenous cadets. further $57.1 million in major
court upgrades including in
regional areas.

This Budget will

ensure that the best
performing courts in
Australia continue to
have the best facilities,
Attorney General John
Hatzistergos said.

The Government will build a

The NSW Government is ensuring young people will be able
to undertake apprenticeships and cadetships in rural and regional
$36 million will be dedicated
to 1000 apprenticeship
opportunities for school leavers.
The new apprentices are part
of the Keneally Government’s
commitment in 2009 to recruit
4000 new apprentices on public
sector projects and 2000 cadets
in the public service over 4 years.
An estimated $27 million will be
invested to employ 500 cadets
under the JumpStart public service
cadetship program. The cadetships
will be offered in a range of fields
including office administration,
customer service, assistants in
nursing, IT support and tourism.
areas.
Cadetships will be offered in
regional centres like Albury,
Dapto, Griffith and Young.
The Keneally Government will also
provide $200,000 to support the
3-year action plan – Making It Our
Business – to improve Aboriginal
employment, and $900,000 for the
NSW Indigenous Tertiary Cadetship
Program which supports Aboriginal
students to combine university
study and employment.
The Budget also extended special
incentives to encourage qualified
people to take up work in rural
and remote areas.
$15 million justice courthouse
for Armidale to be completed
by early 2013.
THE RECORD BUDGET
WILL ALSO FUND:
$2 million for stage 1 of
the $5 million renovation of
Taree Courthouse;
$1 million refurbishment of
Lismore Courthouse;
$1 million renovation of Port
Macquarie Courthouse;
new courthouse in Armidale;
$3.7 million for graffiti
reduction strategies; and
$2.9 million for additional
Keep Them Safe Initiatives
including the appointment
of five specialist Children’s
Registrars.

Investment in court
B U D G ET WR A P rehabilitation and diversion
programs will increase
To see a wrap up of the by 13% as part of the
Government’s determination
budget from Primary
to keep crime rates low and
Industries and Rural Affairs
tackle the causes of crime.
Minister Steve Whan go to
www.nswalp.com/webcasts

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