TRISH DOYLE MP
Member for Blue Mountains
BLUE MOUNTAINS LEFT BEHIND IN ANOTHER STALE BUDGET FROM A TIRED LIBERAL GOVERNMENT
The NSW Liberal Government has failed to provide funding for any significant new project or commitment in the Blue Mountains in the State Budget handed down Tuesday June 21st.
Not a cent was allocated for much needed upgrades to Katoomba Hospital, or for local school upgrades. No new transport or road projects were announced, and low and inadequate levels of funding for essential services such as social housing, public transport and emergency services remain.
Addressing community concerns about a lack of investment from the State Government, Blue Mountains Labor MP Trish Doyle said: “After nearly 12 long years of Liberal Government, the people of the Blue Mountains deserve better than a budget of re-announcements and spin. We need meaningful action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, to restore domestic manufacturing, and to protect our unique natural environment.”
“We’ve seen next-to-nothing in this budget to tackle inequality, support essential workers, or to deal with the critical shortage of public and social housing in our community. Only $540,000 has been allocated to the whole electorate for social housing upgrades; that’s not even the value of an average house!” Ms. Doyle continued.
“The only meaningful announcement on housing that the Liberals have been able to come up with is a great big new property tax that homeowners will have to pay forever; effectively like a toll on the family home. This will do nothing to address housing affordability and will just saddle first-home buyers with extra punitive tax penalties.” Ms. Doyle said.
In his budget reply speech on Thursday June 23rd, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns set out Labor’s positive plan for the future of New South Wales.
If elected in next year’s state election Labor will:
- Build 100 new Government owned preschools co-located with existing primary schools,
- Ensure every new primary school built in NSW includes a preschool onsite,
- Rebuild domestic manufacturing by setting a 50% minimum local content requirement for future rolling stock contracts,
- Provide enhanced toll relief for commuters and refraining from introducing any new tolls,
- Save home-owners considerably by axing the Liberals’ land tax,
- End the era of rorts and privatisation by keeping public assets in public hands
Speaking to Labor’s commitments to rebuild domestic manufacturing, Ms. Doyle commented “We have seen firsthand how the Liberals’ obsession with offshoring ends up impacting the community. We are still waiting on our long-promised new trains that don’t fit the tracks, are riddled with safety issues, are years behind schedule and billions of dollars over-budget.” Ms. Doyle said.
“Instead of sending jobs offshore and causing headaches for commuters, the Liberals should have built fit-for-purpose trains right here in New South Wales instead of buying an unsuitable off-the-shelf product from Korea. We can do so much better than that, and under Labor we will always put NSW jobs first.” Ms. Doyle continued.
Also speaking to the matter of offshoring, NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns remarked: “New South Wales has a proud history of building in NSW. I want to bring that back but it requires the will and the belief that we can do this right here in New South Wales.”
“I’m proud to announce that this will be my first Premier’s priority if I have the privilege of forming Government next March.” Mr. Minns concluded.
Reflecting on the contrast between the Liberals’ neglect of our region, and Labor’s positive plan for the future, Ms. Doyle added “The Blue Mountains community has a clear choice between Labor’s positive plan and another four years of this tired, out-of-touch Liberal Government who think they can just announce their way to prosperity.”
“Even with low expectations of the Liberals, this is an incredibly disappointing budget.” Ms. Doyle concluded.
DATE: THURSDAY 23RD JUNE 2022
