Labor’s first NSW budget in more than a decade delivers a huge investment in Campbelltown and will fund promised pay rises for public sector workers such as nurses and teachers.
“Creating stability within our essential services by investing in recruitment and retainment is a crucial step forward”, Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren said.
Specifically for Campbelltown, so far 41 industrial instruments have locked in pay increases for more than 6,300 public sector workers in this LGA, including health workers, rural fire service and child protection officers, with more still to come.
“You must remember that this budget is our first budget six months from the election and it’s very much about budget repair, laying the foundations for generations into the future, and a generational prosperity,” Mr Warren said.
For Campbelltown, this budget provides:
- An additional 170 permanent teachers and support staff in our schools.
- Energy bill relief to an estimated 12,250 eligible households.
- The 1,112 temporary nurses and midwives positions are made permanent beyond the 30 June 2024 and an extra 1,200 nurses be recruited right across Western South West Sydney including Campbelltown.
- $70k for upgrades at Fullwood reserve.
- $500 of fee relief per child for 3 year olds in long day care supporting up to 64,000 children and families statewide.
- Removal of wage cap.
- $30,000 for seniors cyber support.
- $1,329,000 to continue planning for widening of the Appin Road from St Johns Road to the southern access of Mount Gilead Estate to provide additional transport capacity for the Mount Gilead priority precinct.
- $302.7 million reserved for a Western Sydney Rapid Bus network to connect the communities of Penrith, Liverpool and Campbelltown to the future Western Sydney International Airport.
- $5 million to support the creation of new homes at Menangle Road (Mt Gilead to Macarthur), as part of the Housing Acceleration Fund Round 5.
- $24.6 million for the upgrade of Appin Road to support housing growth in Mt Gilead. Housing Acceleration Fund Round 4 to fund the delivery of a key intersection upgrade at Appin Road and St Johns Road, Bradbury.
$88 million is being invested to protect crucial koala habitat in south-west Sydney by creating the Georges River Koala National Parkalong the Georges River between Appin and Long Point. $26.7 million to create koala-friendly crossings in south-west Sydney and $5.7 million towards koala care in the Macarthur area, as well as $13.5 million dollars to save our local koala colonies with crossings, a care unit and other measures.
“I want to thank and give credit to our many advocates and cherished volunteers who are sitting through the night, travelling around caring for our koalas in the face of growth,” Mr Warren said.
Mr Warren says other huge wins for Campbelltown include the $52.8 million invested towards rebuilding our social and affordable housing system, $300,000 for homeless support services and $53.5 million for the ongoing development for Campbelltown Hospital, mental health and Southwest Paediatric Service secured in the budget.
There is also of course the $268,000 in increased funding to WILMA Women’s Health Services – its first increase in 36 years – announced last week.
“For some women, WILMA is a life-saving service and this funding will allow WILMA to continue to support those women and others like them,” Mr Warren said.
