REBUILDING NSW TO TURBOCHARGE GROWTH, BOOST JOBS

NSW Premier Mike Baird today unveiled details of a $20 billion plan to turbocharge infrastructure in NSW, including a second Harbour rail crossing and a third Harbour road crossing.

“Rebuilding NSW will bust congestion, boost productivity, create jobs and set this great State up for generations,” Mr Baird said.

“This is a visionary plan for Sydney and the regions, and most important, it is funded,” he said.

Mr Baird was launching the NSW Government’s State Infrastructure Strategy, which has accepted all of the recommendations of Infrastructure NSW.

In May, INSW was asked to review its recommendations in the light of the Liberals & Nationals Government’s proposal to recycle a range of electricity transmission and distribution assets through a lease, if it receives a mandate next March.

Among the highlights of the Rebuilding NSW projects, all of which will be completed or underway within 10 years, are:

$8.9 billion to boost urban public transport, including $7 billion for Sydney Rapid Transit, which will start construction in 2017;
$4.1 billion extra into regional transport;
$2 billion extra for the State’s schools and hospitals;
$1.3 billion to bust congestion in Sydney by boosting the productivity of the city’s roads;
$1.2 billion for a Sport and Cultural Fund – up from an original $500 million; and
$1.1 billion set aside to invest in the WestConnex northern and southern extensions and the new Western Harbour Tunnel.

Deputy Premier Troy Grant said the $6 billion for regional NSW was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure communities across regional NSW have the roads, schools, health services and water infrastructure they need.

“This is the shot in the arm our regional communities have been calling for – country NSW won’t be forgotten as we rebuild this State,” Mr Grant said.

INSW Chairman Graham Bradley said economic modelling by Deloitte Access Economics suggests the accelerated program would boost the economy by almost $300 billion and create more than 100,000 jobs.

“It is a compelling case for bringing forward the next round of critical infrastructure for NSW.

“We must be future-focussed and with robust planning, fiscal discipline and innovative delivery models we have a unique opportunity to make NSW even greater.”

Mr Baird said, “I didn’t come into politics to do nothing, or kick difficult decisions down the road; I came into politics to make a difference.”

“This is a plan for the future – a future that NSW Labor believes is too good for the people of NSW.

“I will be travelling to every corner of this State over the next four months to argue why our vision should be supported over the blinkered, union-driven ideology of John Robertson.”