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Budget Estimates and Related Papers 2020-21

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-115840

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)


Budget Estimates and Related Papers 2020-21

Debate resumed from 17 February 2021.

Mr GUY ZANGARI (Fairfield) (15:42:19):

I continue my response to the 2020-2021 budget. Today I begin with the Fairfield railway station—a heritage-listed railway station, designed and built by New South Wales Railways and opened in 1856. The former station master's residence is the oldest surviving railway building in New South Wales. I am sure members would agree that makes it an admirable piece of history which deserves respect and proper maintenance by the New South Wales Government. Unfortunately, that is not the case. On visiting Fairfield railway station one sees neglected trees, unkempt foliage, an excessive amount of bird droppings and general disorder around the forecourt of the railway station. What should be a magnificent historical site that acts as a symbol of Fairfield's longevity is nothing but a sad reminder of the neglect by the State Government towards our local area.

I have come to the conclusion, in consultation with residents and stakeholders, that our history is not as important as some other areas according to the State Government. That is why I am calling on the Berejiklian Government to acknowledge Fairfield and to collaborate with local government authorities. Fairfield is not a backwater suburb, as the Government seems to think, but a place of historical importance. That should be respected. Maintaining Fairfield railway station would minimise the criminal element as well as foster a sense of pride in the Fairfield community. Businesses and dining outlets around the area would also benefit, as improving this community space would encourage people to come to the area. It is not up to council to maintain the railway forecourt; it is up to the New South Wales Government. Sadly, the Government has been lacking in that area.

I move now to job opportunities for refugees and education upskilling for refugees in the Fairfield electorate and its surrounds. In 2016 Fairfield City accommodated 3,000 humanitarian arrivals, which is 75 per cent of all of western Sydney's intake of refugees. It is now 2021; the Fairfield electorate has yet to see a single meaningful dollar from the Government in the form of assistance for these vulnerable groups. If we do not invest into upskilling refugees, how can Australia see their true potential? How can refugees be expected to reach their true potential without this investment? Why must we rely on not-for-profits so much to provide these basic needs to refugees? Is the Government attempting to off-load this complex issue through outsourcing to not‑for‑profits in the Fairfield area?

Why is the Government taking a back-seat role in resettling refugees? There is no long-term plan or even discussion around this. Refugees are an untapped resource in New South Wales' road to economic recovery, yet the Government will not support them when it comes to job opportunities and educational upskilling. Why is the Government not working together with the Federal Government to address this escalating issue in Fairfield and the greater south-western Sydney region? I call on the New South Wales Liberal and Nationals Government to speak directly to, and engage with, these communities in the Fairfield area. The Government must understand their needs, what they would like the Government to do for them, and what opportunities they are missing. The Government must also provide vulnerable people in the Fairfield community with a safety net through education, which will mean in the long term these individuals will not need to rely on benefits as much in the future—a win for both parties involved. If it fails to do this, the current Government's legacy will be having let down south‑western Sydney and the next generation of hardworking Australians.

Stamp duty in Fairfield is another issue this budget has dealt with in a less than satisfactory manner. In 2019-20 the stamp duty collected in the Fairfield post code of 2165, including the suburbs of Fairfield, Fairfield West, Fairfield East and Fairfield Heights, was $13.8 million. What did Fairfield get in return in this year's budget? As I have said before, Fairfield got three big fata zeros in this year's New South Wales State budget. In fact, not only did it get nothing, but Fairfield residents seem to be freefalling into neglect and debt. The year 2020 brought with it M5 tolls for my constituents, underfunded and backed up hospitals, neglected and dangerous public roads, and an abysmal public transport network. Stamp duty alone represents $13.8 million in taxation revenue. There is a laundry list of other taxes collected from my constituents that they are seeing zero return on.

The current Government collects my constituent's hard-earned dollars and fails to distribute them in a fair manner. Why should my constituents have to give up their hard-earned tax dollars and have them redistributed to already privileged electorates like Epping and Willoughby? Since Fairfield residents have received nothing in this budget, I am calling on the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government to assist with having more large- scale events in western and south‑western Sydney. More big events in western Sydney will attract tourism to the area, which can be used as another tool in driving post-COVID economic recovery for some of the most impacted areas of New South Wales. Holding big events will encourage individuals to engage with western Sydney. Big events will give my electorate and western Sydney the opportunity to celebrate and capitalise on its diversity.

Some time ago I gave notice of a motion in the House calling on the Government to put more money into developing local entertainment and dining precincts for Fairfield and south-western Sydney. This would help both residents and business owners during the COVID pandemic and coming out of restrictions. Travelling into the city for major events is just not an option for many of my constituents in Fairfield. Slow trains, massive tolls and the ever-rising cost of living act as a deterrent. So I call on the Government once again to cough up the funds to make it possible for residents of Fairfield and western Sydney to also enjoy dining and entertainment precincts. So far the Government has ignored my calls for funding, and Fairfield residents as well as all the residents of Sydney are no better off. The Government needs to realise that Fairfield is also a part of New South Wales and deserves its attention.

As yet there has been no update from the Government on the Henry Lawson Drive upgrade. The residents in south-western Sydney and Fairfield use Henry Lawson Drive to access areas further south. There is not even the slightest sign of construction on Henry Lawson Drive. No dust on the roads, no bunting, no construction workers—absolutely zero. The Government is not moving this project along, nor other projects in south-western Sydney, because it knows it cannot milk a dollar out of the people who are going to use it. The Government has spent less than $4 million on the proposed $100 million project. How is it going to spend the rest of the $96 million before the 2023 election when all that has been done since 2017 are field investigations? In 2017 this project was initially part of the Government's $300 million Urban Roads Pinch Point Program. It is now 2021 and all that has been done are field investigations. The Treasurer is always pointing his finger at Labor and saying, "promise, promise, promise". But isn't the current Liberal-Nationals Government doing the exact same thing?

Can the Government account for the rest of the $100 million promised towards this project? The question is: Did that go towards propping up another over-budget, blown-out infrastructure project? To break it down clearly for the Premier and the Treasurer: More traffic means reduced productivity, which ultimately means less GDP for New South Wales. It is that simple. The Government's slogan for the last State election was, "Let's get it done, NSW". I would have to say it is more like, "Let's get it done, Willoughby" and "Let's get it done, Epping". The Government has had three consecutive terms to get it done and it is safe to say that it is far from getting things done in south-western Sydney. Many of my constituents use Henry Lawson Drive to get to the M5 so they can get to work to make a living or pick their kids up from school, yet the Government has done absolutely nothing about this project.

Mr PETER SIDGREAVES (Camden) (15:52:50):

I speak in debate on the 2020-21 New South Wales budget. As members know, the latter part of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 brought with it bushfires, property destruction and, tragically, the loss of life. Our country—the lucky country, the greatest country—was still smouldering, was still fighting and is still grieving. Then another tragedy touched us all—and this time it was global—the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first pandemic the vast majority of us have experienced in our lifetimes. Hopefully, it is the only one. In order to tackle the spread of the virus, lockdown measures were enforced. The emotional and social impacts of COVID are immeasurable. Loved ones have been lost, loved ones have been ill and loved ones have been isolated. We cannot ever measure the impact of that on our communities.

What the New South Wales Government has been able to achieve—remarkably—is to keep our communities safe while also considering economic opportunities. For this I would like to pass on the Camden community's thanks to the New South Wales Government, led by Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard, and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant, and supported by the Treasurer and a number of Ministers. Overnight whole industries were shut down—tourism, hospitality, construction and retail amongst the most severely damaged. Unemployment spiked. Jobs were not guaranteed or secure. A recession was upon us. Uncertainty was—and still is, for the most part—with us at all times. Through this it must be noted how deep we all dug. While support continued for our drought-stricken farmers, victims of bushfires and victims of COVID, we all came together and supported each other however we could—whether it be emotionally, physically or financially.

As the Treasurer has already stated, the last year and a bit will forever be etched in our memories and marked in history. We will remember the spirit of our people and how we still went on. We stood in our driveways to mark the dawn and remember on ANZAC Day. We will not forget the saying and the hashtag #inthistogether, which provided inspiration and encouragement for all. We also will not forget the financial reserves that this Coalition Government had, through nearly 10 years of good fiscal management, to respond to our State's financial need and the need to keep us safe, create jobs, rebuild our economy and ensure it is even more resilient and self‑sufficient into the future.

Health support, swift action and investment in health were and continue to be provided. Intensive care capacity in New South Wales hospitals was quadrupled; highly effective testing and contact tracing capabilities were established; effective hotel quarantine measures were established; and more than $1 billion in personal protective equipment [PPE] was procured to keep our frontline workers safe. The New South Wales Government will invest $29.3 billion in recurrent and capital funding in the New South Wales health system, continuing the COVID-safe measures that have made New South Wales the standout success of Australia's—and indeed the world's—pandemic response. Measures to keep New South Wales open and to ensure our pandemic response success include $500 million to support COVID-19 clinics, hotel quarantine, increased pathology testing and contact tracing; and $30 million for additional emergency department attendances and ambulance calls.

In addition, the New South Wales Government will increase the digital capability in the State's health system, invest in systems to track prescribed medicines associated with a high risk of causing harm or dependence, seamlessly manage the more than 70 million pathology tests undertaken every year across New South Wales, invest $45 million to expand telehealth capacity to deliver faster, more convenient and better care, increase support for palliative care services to provide the best quality care and support for those reaching the end of their life by providing $55.9 million over four years for an additional 5,000 end-of-life support packages to allow people who are dying a choice about the place where they spend their remaining days, the care that they receive, access to specialist allied health professionals, improved bereavement and psychosocial support services, and education and training.

The 2020-21 New South Wales budget will commit $169.4 million over four years to provide mental health support to ensure more people can find the help they need—namely, $66.2 million to continue the work of community-based mental health clinicians, including expanding youth mental health services; $50.4 million to expand virtual mental health services enabling greater access to support for people in immediate crisis; $46.8 million to recruit 100 wellbeing health and in-reach nurses to provide wellbeing checks in our schools; and $6 million over three years to establish 12 mental health and community wellbeing collaboratives in communities.

The 2020-21 New South Wales budget will continue to invest in an infrastructure program that builds a better New South Wales with a record infrastructure pipeline of $107.1 billion to ensure the delivery of projects across the State, including vital infrastructure in health, education and transport. That record $107.1 billion pipeline is estimated to generate 145,000 jobs directly or indirectly each year. Underpinning this stimulus is the $3 billion Jobs and Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which will support 20,000 jobs and deliver new and fast‑tracked projects across the State. For Camden, this includes $90 million for the Spring Farm Parkway stage one upgrade.

This budget will also commit to new stimulus spending across the State for maintenance and shovel‑ready projects. There will be $812 million for social and Aboriginal housing across New South Wales; $256 million for upgrades and maintenance works across national parks, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park and the Crown lands portfolio—$34 million alone is going to The Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan in my electorate of Camden; $167.7 million is provided for capital works and maintenance of courts, police stations and Corrective Services as well as an upgrade to the Goulburn police academy making it a State‑of‑the‑art training facility. Over the next four years that record infrastructure pipeline will include $10.4 billion for Sydney Metro West; $9.2 billion for Sydney Metro—Western Sydney Airport; $2.2 billion for the Sydney Gateway project; and a record $10.7 billion investment in health infrastructure, including the $632 million Campbelltown Hospital stage two redevelopment—the Premier, the health Minister, myself and the member for Wollondilly recently attended the topping out ceremony at that hospital.

A record $7.7 billion will be invested in education and skills infrastructure with $1.4 billion in new schools infrastructure funding for new and upgraded schools, and $100 million for asset replacement and maintenance for TAFE NSW to deliver quality training services. Our record investment in education continues with an $18.9 billion investment in recurrent and capital funding for government and non-government schools in 2020‑21; the broadening of the State's supply of quality teachers by developing mid-career entry pathways into teaching for those outside the profession in partnership with Teach for Australia; and $2.7 billion to support a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. Universal access to high quality early childhood education services for three- and four‑year-olds will also be ensured.

The New South Wales Coalition Government will drive quality outcomes for all students and, on top of additional resourcing, the New South Wales Government will provide an investment of $337 million over the 2021 school year to deliver intensive tutoring for up to 290,000 students in New South Wales schools, and $120 million will be provided to extend the existing free preschool program to the end of 2021. This funding will support around 44,000 three- to five-year-olds attending community preschool in over 700 community and mobile preschools across the State.

The New South Wales Government will invest $318.6 million over two years in the Skilling for Recovery training package to help jobseekers retrain or upskill and support school leavers entering the workforce for the first time. The apprenticeship intake across Transport for NSW will be increased. Skilling for Recovery will also provide $80 million in support for apprenticeships and cadetships in the community housing and construction sectors, and a further 300 traineeships will be created across New South Wales public sector agencies. Over four years $57.4 million will be invested to create a landmark Trades Skills Pathways Centre to address skills shortages in the New South Wales economy and support employment for women by providing grants of up to $5,000 for training and support. Up to 20,000 training places to skill people working in aged care will be provided and $2.5 million to develop a strategic business case for a TAFE aged care centre of excellence training facility.

Some $100 million will be invested over two years for the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund to deliver sports infrastructure grants of up to $1 million with a focus on regional sport. The care economy, which comprises early childhood, community services, social housing, aged care, disability care and personal support workers will be revitalised with $17 million for upskilling, mentoring and job matching for people working in the care economy. Vital support for vulnerable people impacted by COVID‑19 will include $9 million in 2020-21 to extend targeted support for food charities; $50 million to establish the one-off time-limited Social Sector Transformation Fund to help charities adapt and respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; $29 million across 2020-21 and 2021-22 to extend the Together Home initiative, building on the Government's previous commitment of $36 million to the program; and $20 million in expenses over four years for Closing the Gap in accordance with the national agreement, and support for the equal participation of Aboriginal communities in priority reforms.

The $33 billion Transport budget over the forward estimates will deliver infrastructure and services for the future, including $1.6 billion for bus services and $1.1 billion to continue to deliver more trains and more services. In this budget $1.6 billion is invested for the Digital Restart Fund. A whole-of-sector approach to digitisation and service transformation to deliver quality government services is the aim and will also support job creation. Additional investments for the Digital Restart Fund in this budget will also include $54.5 million for a major digital courts and tribunals reform project; $45.8 million to implement the next phase of an end-to-end digital planning service through the ePlanning program; and $17.5 million to improve the online customer experience for key Revenue NSW services.

In May 2020 the New South Wales Government brought forward by one year the increase in the payroll tax threshold to $1 million. This budget announces a further permanent increase in the payroll-tax-free threshold from $1 million to $1.2 million. This will see 3,500 New South Wales businesses no longer having to pay payroll tax, freeing up much-needed capital for businesses to reinvest. Last year the rate of payroll tax was cut from 5.45 per cent to 4.85 per cent for two years. This budget also provides $472 million to provide small- and medium‑sized businesses, which do not pay payroll tax, with a $1,500 digital voucher for the cost of government fees and charges. The Out and About program to stimulate spending in the local economy includes restaurants, visitor sites and cultural attractions. Every adult resident will be eligible to claim up to $100 in digital vouchers to spend on eating out and entertainment.

The budget will extend funding of $39.3 million for the Business Connect program so more businesses can get the advice they need. The Government is encouraging domestic and international businesses into New South Wales through payroll tax relief and other support as part of a new $250 million Jobs Plus Program, which aims to create or support 25,000 jobs to 30 June 2022. It will support also companies that want to relocate their head offices to New South Wales or expand their jobs footprint in New South Wales. Some $179.8 million is included in this budget to grow the offshore trade and investment network to support New South Wales businesses in key international markets. Some $100 million in grants are being provided from the Regional Growth Fund to incentivise businesses in regional New South Wales to invest in and expand their operations. The Regional Growth Fund will receive $300 million over two years to deliver economic development and job creation programs.

This budget recognises the need for long-term benefits and is investing in reform to ensure prosperity for our future generations. Reforms include reforms to inefficient taxes, reforms to deliver a more streamlined and timely planning system to accommodate new businesses, reforms to improve students' outcomes and ensure workforce flexibility, and reforms to introduce regulatory changes to support innovation, competition and economic growth. The New South Wales Government is currently seeking feedback on the property tax system. We want to deliver a streamlined and timely planning system by cutting assessment times, optimising industrial land use, reforming contributions to infrastructure and consolidating employment zones. We also aim to improve student outcomes and ensure the long-term labour force flexibility by developing mid-career teaching pathways to attract mid-career professionals into teaching, introduce skills reforms and reduce regulation to have automatic mutual recognition of occupational licences.

Despite COVID-19, Camden and the State of New South Wales are being well facilitated by our Government to be greater places of commerce and trade, where ambitious and prospective individuals and families can conduct business with all the support they need from their Government to succeed. The New South Wales Coalition Government continues to deliver for the citizens of the Camden electorate, and this is true in the delivery of schools. In 2019 the New South Wales Government opened Yandelora School in Narellan—a new purpose‑built, state‑of‑the‑art school for specific purpose to cater for students with moderate to severe intellectual and physical disabilities. In 2020 the New South Wales Government opened a new public school in Gledswood Hills and a new high school in Oran Park, and Oran Park Public School was upgraded with an additional 24 learning spaces. These projects allowed students to start on day one, term 1, 2020.

Extension of time

This year the New South Wales Government opened Barramurra Public School on day one, term 1. During planning, this school was known as Catherine Field Public School. In mid-2021 Denham Court Public School will be opened. During the planning, this school was known as East Leppington Public School. An upgrade of Harrington Park Public School is currently under construction. This project includes a new building with 14 additional learning spaces, a new hall, canteen, administration office and library. It also includes refurbishments to existing classrooms. The residents of Camden can clearly see that this Coalition Government is delivering schools in the Camden electorate and will continue to do so. It is important to remember that the Camden local government area is the fastest-growing local government area in Australia, growing at approximately 8 per cent per annum, and forecasted to have an annual growth of 5.5 per cent over the next 20 years. It is imperative that the government of the day continues to deliver new and upgraded schools to keep up with the growth of the population in Camden. []

Earlier this year Premier Gladys Berejiklian opened a new hub at Camden Public School and said that the more than $20 million Out of School Hours Care Hub Program will benefit families across New South Wales. I note that the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning also attended this event. By June, 47 schools will have opened out-of-school-hours care hubs as part of the New South Wales Government's election commitment to before and after school care. The new hubs will provide additional before and after school care for more than 2,400 students across New South Wales. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, families across the State are concerned about the cost-of-living pressures, and providing affordable before and after school care is particularly important. Some 65 per cent of working residents leave the Camden local government area to get to their workplace. As such, before and after school care will be of great benefit to many families in the Camden electorate. Since July 2019 the New South Wales Government has created more than 11,000 after‑school care places. These new hubs will add to this capacity.

The Out of School Hours Care Hub Program is part of the $120 million investment over four years to expand access to out‑of‑school‑hours care for public primary schoolchildren. The New South Wales Government also continues to deliver transport and roads in the Camden electorate. This is evidenced by the $159.44 million transport funding for the Camden electorate. The Government will continue construction at Leppington Station to deliver a multistorey car park with up to 1,000 additional spaces to the south of the station, free parking for up to 18 hours, additional accessible spaces, CCTV, lighting and wayfinding, lift access, road pavement and pedestrian upgrades. It will also complete the construction of the upgrade to The Northern Road between Peter Brock Drive, Oran Park, and Eaton Road, Luddenham, and complete the construction of the upgrade to Bringelly Road between King Street and The Northern Road. Both of these projects are jointly funded by the New South Wales and Federal governments.

It will also investigate and plan the connectivity between Camden Bypass and Spring Farm Parkway, which provides access to Hume Motorway and Menangle Road. The Spring Farm Parkway is a key east‑west link to support the Greater Macarthur Growth Area. Other projects include preserving transport corridors for future transport projects, providing new bus services and additional services to existing routes, and the introduction of the new zero-emission bus fleet. Only a matter of weeks ago I took a ride on south‑west Sydney's first electric bus with the transport Minister and the member for Holsworthy. Other projects that the New South Wales Coalition Government is investing in the Camden electorate include $2.93 million on social housing assets improvements, new supply and upgrades; $34.76 million for the Australian Institute of Botanical Science located at the Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan; $78.92 million for Sydney Water major works, including an upgrade to the West Camden wastewater treatment plant; and $6.61 million for WaterNSW upgrades and resilience measures.

It would be negligent of me not to speak about critical health projects that the New South Wales Coalition Government has delivered, and is continuing to deliver, in neighbouring electorates for healthcare services that provide services to the residents of Camden. After delivering the $134 million stage one of the Campbelltown Hospital redevelopment, the New South Wales Coalition is currently delivering the $632 million stage two of the redevelopment. It is also delivering the $790 million redevelopment of Liverpool Hospital and a new education and research hub. The redevelopment will provide Liverpool Hospital with expanded clinical services, public spaces and car parking, integrated with research and teaching. This budget sets out the New South Wales Government's commitment of $29 billion to ensure a prosperous post-pandemic recovery, and a focus on new stimulus measures to kickstart the economy and create jobs while laying out the foundations for sustained growth with plans to reform to deliver for the residents and businesses of Camden and for the people of New South Wales. I commend this budget to the House.

Ms PRUE CAR (Londonderry) (16:18:16):

I will make a brief contribution on the budget estimates and related papers for 2020‑21 debate, particularly in regard to the disastrous state of education infrastructure in New South Wales and the delays and overruns that exist in suburbs right across the State as a result of Liberal and The Nationals mismanagement of education. I particularly note that we still have the preposterous situation where the Government went to an election in 2019 and promised new schools, particularly new primary schools, to communities—especially new communities in the outer suburbs of Sydney; the south‑west and north‑west in particular—but when one looks in the budget for the funding of these promised schools one finds no mention of them at all.

I note with interest that I am speaking directly after the member for Camden, which is quite pertinent. Just for a minute imagine that you are a working mum or dad living in the suburb of Gregory Hills—for those people who do not know, Gregory Hills is in the south‑west of Sydney. It is likely that you have saved up a lot of money to build a beautiful new home where you are raising or planning to raise young children. You have done so on the promise that there will be infrastructure in that community. Part of the promised infrastructure in that community was a new primary school. In fact, right near the shopping centre in the middle of that new suburb, near a beautiful new playground—which obviously the Government was not responsible for building because it is actually finished—there is a big lot of land that locals know is supposed to be the Gregory Hills primary school.

There is no primary school for the families of Gregory Hills. Members will have heard me speak about this quite a bit. You have built your home and are raising your children on the expectation that you will be able to send them to that school, but the Government has not come good on that commitment. In fact, in this budget there was zero allocation to even plan for this new school. How disappointed would you be in your representative, the member for Camden, and Premier Gladys Berejiklian? Well, I can tell you, because I have spoken to many hardworking families in Gregory Hills. They are very upset, and rightly so, with the fact that this budget—which Government members like to get up time and again and crow about how fantastic it is—does not have an allocation for that school.

The families that I, as the member for Londonderry, represent in the new suburb of Marsden Park in the North West Growth Area of Sydney are in a similar situation. Those families in the fastest growing single suburb in Sydney were promised a high school by this Government. Was there an allocation of one cent towards this in this budget? Of course not. There is a site that locals drive past every day; it is a reminder that the Liberals think the people of Elara and Newpark in Marsden Park are not a priority. The Liberals do not, when it comes to it, put their money where their mouth is. They rip them off. They release the land. We build our homes. They do not deliver the necessary infrastructure.

The same thing can be said for the lack of investment in dealing with the overcrowding in existing schools, particularly in these new and growing parts of western Sydney. One does not have to be a genius to work out what is going to happen at Gledswood Hills, the neighbouring new suburb to Gregory Hills, if the Government does not build a school at Gregory Hills. A school at Gledswood Hills that is just over 12 months old has already got demountables. Who in their right mind thinks that that is acceptable? Not the families of south‑west Sydney. In the suburb of Jordan Springs, in my electorate of Londonderry, we had to fight very hard to get a school. That school is not even 12 months old and it is already crammed full of demountables. They are teaching classes in the library because the Government will not commit to building stage two of the upgrade of a school in a suburb where it released the land and knew there would be plenty of people living there. It is a great place to live. I am biased. I built my home there like many people in the community that I represent. We all have young families and one does not have to be a genius to work out that young children need to go primary school.

Recently in the budget estimates hearings we exposed that almost half of the upgrade projects promised by this Government in the lead-up to the last election are chronically delayed. In some cases they are not just a couple of weeks or a couple of months; they are 18 months delayed—for example, in places like Harrington Park, in a big and growing part of south-west Sydney. There is a theme developing here. In Marsden Park, in Elara, one could not even make up how badly the new Northbourne Public School was managed for families living in north- western Sydney. A brand-new school for that big community was supposed to open in term one of this year. It was running so late that they said to parents, "Actually, we'll just put demountables where the school should be and then we'll construct the school that you were promised around the temporary school." The whole school is demountables.

The Government cannot seem to get planning right, unless it is planning for property developers. Those opposite did not seem to realise that in a family area there will be hundreds of kindergarten and year 1 enrolments. They did not even have enough demountables for the temporary school so they said to parents in December, "We know that you have enrolled your children in this new school but if they are from year 2 to year 6 you're going to drop your children off at this brand-new school in their brand-new uniforms in this brand‑new suburb"—how exciting—"and we're going to put them on a bus and take them to a different school. But that is okay because they will be taken away from class time at the end of the day and bussed back to the new school." Surprisingly, the parents said they did not think that was on. I may have played a role in conjunction with my community to stop that from happening. I am proud of my community for saying that is not good enough for us.

We are sick of being ripped off by a government that is about property developers. The people of western and south-western Sydney, the hardworking families of western Sydney, are the ones driving the State, but we are the ones copping it. We do not get our schools in new areas and the ones that exist are overcrowded. We are the ones with demountables on the playgrounds. We are the ones whose children have to have rostered playtimes and, in some schools, rostered toilet time. As a parent, imagine your children coming home and telling you that. We are the ones who have to pay the lion's share of tolls. We are the ones who are being ripped off by unmarked mobile speed cameras. We are the ones who are propping up the economy in Sydney.

We are hardworking families and we are being ripped off. What is happening in education in this State is just one example and this budget laid it bare. There was not one cent for the new schools that this Government had promised and not one cent to address the issues of overcrowding and demountables on play spaces. The hardworking families of western Sydney, particularly north‑western Sydney and south-western Sydney, deserve much better than a Liberal government that absolutely does not get what it is like to live in the outer suburbs of this city.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (16:27:49):

This year's New South Wales budget is probably the most important in our State's history. It is a budget that reflects the challenges of 2020 and will lead us out of the health and economic crises presented by COVID-19. Made possible by the strong economic management of Treasurer Perrottet and the New South Wales Government, this budget will deliver for our State. Locally, we are providing critical infrastructure for our community in the area of health through a $105 million acceleration of the St George Hospital redevelopment. This will fast-track the delivery of a new integrated ambulatory care precinct, increase bed capacity and enhance outpatient services.

In transport, we are providing critical infrastructure through the New South Wales Government's $824 million More Trains, More Services program. This will boost peak‑hour services to stations like Mortdale, Penshurst, Riverwood, Narwee and Beverly Hills. The Government has committed funding to deliver additional commuter car parks at Riverwood and Beverly Hills railway stations. We are providing critical roads infrastructure through the widening of King Georges Road, congestion busting on the Princes Highway, and improving traffic flow and safety at the intersection of Forest, Bonds and Boundary roads at Peakhurst. We are providing critical emergency services infrastructure through the redevelopment of Hurstville police station and critical environmental investment through $3.9 billion in funding to natural habitats. We are investing in a record $107 billion infrastructure pipeline and a skills and training blitz to create employment and jobs across New South Wales, not just in my community.

I start by discussing a subject that is very close to my heart, which has yet again benefited from this Government's budget. Having started out as a humble cottage of six beds and one children's cot, St George Hospital is now known as a world-class institution with some of the finest nurses and doctors in the world. The hospital opened its doors in November 1894 and cost a mere £750 to construct. The land was purchased for £850 and offered picturesque views of the country all the way to Botany Bay and out across the Pacific, according to local newspapers at the time. By July 1897 a new wing and additional nurses' quarters had been opened and plans for further alterations and improvements to the hospital had been drawn up. St George Cottage Hospital was rapidly expanding, as was the population of the St George area. In 1898, four years after it opened, the hospital had admitted 107 patients and performed 17 operations.

In contrast, there were over 65,000 admissions to St George Hospital in 2016-17 alone. By the early 1920s, St George Cottage Hospital had become known as the St George District Hospital and was making a name for itself as one of the leading hospitals in the State. Throughout the best part of the twentieth century, further improvements and extensions were carried out at St George Hospital. With the eventual certainty of ongoing government funding through many successive Liberal governments, it was transformed into the multimillion‑dollar institute it is today. If members look over the past 40 years, they will see it was the Askin Liberal Government that made significant building upgrades to St George Hospital and the Greiner and Fahey upgrades that delivered the six-storey car park on Gray Street. The O'Farrell‑Baird‑Berejiklian governments saw stages one, two and three of the upgrades to St George Hospital.

Without this record investment, our community would not have seen the reopening and refurbishment of the hydrotherapy pool previously closed by Labor. Nor would we have seen the multimillion-dollar expansion of the emergency department that was completed in 2014 or the $277 million seven-storey acute services building that followed in 2017. I am proud of this Government's commitment to supporting health services and infrastructure in our area, and in particular of the fact that with the recent budget announcement we are still committed. Our local community's proudest achievement has been the ongoing redevelopment of St George Hospital, with a total investment of over $700 million since 2011. As part of the 2020-21 State budget, the New South Wales Government announced the next stage of the redevelopment of St George Hospital two years earlier than expected.

A $105 million injection of funds will kickstart the $385 million integrated ambulatory care project, creating hundreds of local jobs while ensuring that our community gets the best health facilities in the State. Since 2011 the hospital redevelopment has included an eight-level acute services building, a new emergency department—which, with two young kids, I have unfortunately used on a number of occasions—additional inpatient beds, a new intensive care and high dependency unit, a new cardiac unit, a new sterilising services department, new operating theatres, an upgraded hydrotherapy pool and, more recently, a new and improved birthing and delivery unit. I have spoken with doctors in recent weeks. Planning for stage three has already commenced and works are set to start in late 2021.

It is not only health that will benefit under the budget; local road projects across the electorate of Oatley and elsewhere in the State will also benefit. Investment in our road transport network will ensure that residents across New South Wales spend less time commuting and more time with family and friends. Across my own electorate we have seen investment in the widening of King Georges Road, a project that has been talked about for generations. It has been talked about for over 45 years. For too long motorists have experienced significant congestion along that road corridor, particularly during peak weekday periods. Our Government has recognised that and it has acted. The proposed improvements are designed to deliver a faster, more reliable journey. King Georges Road will receive a $40 million injection for its widening between Stoney Creek Road at Beverly Hills and Forest Road at Hurstville. Each and every day thousands of motorists are set to benefit from the widening of 1.5 kilometres of King Georges Road from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. That will significantly reduce congestion and make the corridor a lot safer.

Furthermore, the M6 extension will also ease congestion across our network by connecting President Avenue at Kogarah with the new M5 motorway at Arncliffe. That project will remove over 2,000 trucks a day from surface roads and will return local streets to local communities. For us, it is about creating an integrated transport solution across New South Wales. As part of that integrated transport solution the four‑kilometre underground motorway will ease congestion and allow users to bypass up to 23 sets of traffic lights on the Princes Highway between St Peters and Kogarah. It will contribute to a more accessible, more liveable and more productive Greater Sydney. The network also includes the recently completed widening of the M5 and the extension of the M4, which has resulted in thousands of jobs and reduced travel times across New South Wales.

The M5 Belmore Road on and off ramps have also enabled local residents to get to and from work sooner—not just residents from my community, the electorate of Oatley, but residents in the electorate of East Hills as well. Those ramps have reduced congestion and improved the flow of traffic on the motorway, helping thousands of motorists who use that route each and every day to spend more time with their families rather than sitting in traffic. That project, in conjunction with the widening of the M5 East and the duplication of the M5 tunnel, is bringing much‑needed relief to thousands of motorists across Sydney. The new M5 has provided twin underground motorway tunnels, which are nine kilometres long, from Kingsgrove to a new St Peters Interchange at the site of the old Alexandria landfill facility.

The St Peters Interchange has provided motorists with connections to Alexandria and Mascot. It also includes connections to the future Sydney Gateway, the M4-M5 Link and the M6 extension. Local streets and intersections around the St Peters Interchange are also being upgraded to ensure safe and efficient connections to the new M5. Importantly, though, the project will protect six hectares of new open space in St Peters, it will create 12 kilometres of shared paths around St Peters, it will generate over 4,400 jobs and it will have no impact on Wolli Creek bushland. As part of the M5 and M8 projects, my local community also saw upgrades to the King Georges Road interchange at Beverly Hills, which until now has been a well-known bottleneck for south and south‑west Sydney motorists.

In saying that, our Government recognises that a successful road system is not just about the grand projects; it is also about consistently improving and updating our local roads. That is why we have delivered much‑needed local projects including a roundabout in Beverly Hills at the intersection of Edgbaston Road and Melvin Street, which was completed last year. We have also responded to community safety concerns by swiftly delivering new pedestrian crossings around the Mortdale, Penshurst and Oatley areas, as well as school crossing supervisors for Oatley West Public School; Peakhurst Public School; Mortdale Public School, where my son goes; and St Joseph's at Oatley, my former school. Those localised projects, along with our major projects, are all aimed at improving road safety and ensuring that motorists return home from their destinations. I thank Minister Constance for his incredible commitment and service to this role. I look forward to keeping the House up to date on any further developments in the local area.

The budget included major announcements not only for our road network but also for our public transport network. Our Government put to the people of New South Wales its plan of getting on with the job and delivering for them. One area where that could not be more evident is across our public transport network. Our Government has delivered, and is continuing to deliver, train station upgrades across our network, including in my electorate. Making public transport more accessible is a priority for the Government, as patronage on our rail network is at a record high. In the past five years the number of trips has increased by over 100 million to 400 million trips per year, representing a 30 per cent increase in patronage. As a result, not only are station upgrades being delivered across the network but also we are making access to our rail network easier than ever before.

Commuter car parks are being built across New South Wales. I am proud to say that we have delivered that for Oatley station. We have also secured much‑needed funding for the Riverwood and Beverly Hills stations as part of the 2020-2021 budget. The Beverly Hills commuter car park is currently in the community consultation phase. Discussions with council have already commenced and construction is expected to begin sometime in the next year or two. That is a huge win for local residents, particularly for those who live in Beverly Hills and Penshurst, as it will ease traffic congestion along King Georges Road, make public transport more accessible and provide much‑needed after‑hours parking for access to restaurants and the Beverly Hills cinema. The Riverwood commuter car park is no different; it is at the same planning stage. I look forward to informing the House of further updates as they become available.

In total, the Government has added more than 10,000 parking spaces, with an additional 8,000 spaces either in planning or under construction across New South Wales. Our record level of infrastructure investment since coming to government in 2011 is already delivering other significant boosts to our rail services. In 2019 the Premier and the Minister for Transport and Roads opened the new Sydney Metro Northwest. The Sydney Metro is Australia's biggest public transport project and is the first fully automated railway in Australia. The Sydney Metro Northwest is just the first stage of that amazing project.

This is a government that continues to deliver. For example, recently the More Trains, More Services program was announced. That will extensively transform our rail network, particularly on the Illawarra line. More Trains, More Services is a 10-year strategy to increase services across the network to keep up with ever‑increasing patronage. Currently we are at stage two of that rollout, which includes digital system development, infrastructure upgrades and new trains. That will benefit both T8 and T4 customers in my electorate. I look forward to keeping the House up to date on any further public transport developments across my electorate.

Our Government has also continued to invest in protecting our local communities. Recently I attended my local area command's monthly community safety precinct meeting at Kogarah. It was encouraging to hear the great news that the New South Wales police continue to keep the community safe. Crime statistics show that all major categories are either stable or falling. Policemen and policewomen across the State continue to deliver time and again, putting their personal safety on the line to ensure that our communities are protected. I am proud to be part of a government that recognises that incredible work by investing accordingly and by allowing those officers to continue that daunting task.

An example of that investment is the $29 million in last year's budget that was announced by the Government to upgrade or redevelop Hurstville police station. The multimillion‑dollar police station is a big win not only for my electorate but also right across the St George area and for the electorates of Rockdale and Kogarah. That will ensure local police have the resources they need for many generations to come. The location of the new police station is yet to be determined but it will take into consideration feasibility, land space and accessibility. More information will be made available in the coming months, following consultation with community and council, and design phases. My local community is thrilled by the announcement.

It is not just infrastructure that the Government is investing in. The Government recognises the incredible efforts of police officers, who have worked tirelessly alongside the community to keep crime rates low. That is why it has taken the major step to fortify the Police Force into the future with the investment of more than $583 million over four years to deliver 1,500 extra police. I look forward to keeping the House up to date on any future developments of the new Hurstville police station. One of the Government's greatest achievements in this budget and previous budgets is its investment in skills and the TAFE system. The Government has a strong appreciation for how important investment is in skills, both for the individual and for all of New South Wales. When we invest in TAFE we are investing not just in students' futures but also in the State's future.

Our plan to expand and boost funding to TAFE across New South Wales is bold and ambitious. It will include 700,000 free TAFE courses and an additional $227 million in new funding for TAFE over four years. We look forward to seeing the results of that investment in the development of our skilled and trade industries across New South Wales. We are fortunate as a government that our plan is being overseen by a wonderful Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, the Hon. Geoff Lee, who has a thorough understanding of and passion for the TAFE system. The Minister's hands-on experience and enthusiasm for skills development is tangible. Last year I was joined by the Minister to tour the new $4.2 million health training facility at St George TAFE in Kogarah. The facility is part of the Government's ongoing investment in capital works projects across the TAFE network, totalling $179.5 million across 25 projects.

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Health and wellbeing are among the fastest‑growing courses across TAFE NSW and that is reflected locally, where enrolments have been surging in recent years. The new facilities have been built to reflect current industry practice and will deliver a much‑needed increase in local training capacity to match growing demand in the St George area. The Government's significant redevelopment of St George Hospital means there is strong demand for a skilled health workforce. I am proud to be part of a government that is committed to expanding training opportunities in the St George area. The multimillion‑dollar investment will equip students with the real‑world skills they need to excel in the health sector. []

The new facility has a particular focus on nursing and aged care, reflecting a higher demand for those workers. It is another example of the Government recognising employment trends and responding to them accordingly. With a strong focus on business and the economy, the Government understands that equipping students with job‑ready skills means equipping businesses with job‑ready employees. That is why it not only is investing in capital works projects but also has developed a $30 million TAFE NSW Skills for Business initiative. It is fantastic that when the Government invests in skills, it is also investing in small business and local economies. Further, the Government acknowledges that the cost of TAFE and tertiary education can be a burden on many individuals and families.

In a win for vocational education students, the New South Wales Government is investing $54.3 million to make government‑subsidised traineeships fee free, which began last year. This is a game changer for small and medium businesses in the St George area, allowing trainees to focus on practical training. That investment, coupled with the $285 million initiative that has made apprenticeships fee free, demonstrates that the Government is serious about getting people back into work and addressing the skills shortages in New South Wales. Investment in TAFE is beneficial to all of us; the Government is investing heavily in modernising the TAFE system that is developing skilled students, equipping businesses and driving local economies.

Another cornerstone of the Government's budget, which is making life easier for the people of New South Wales, is the rollout of Service NSW across the State. We want to make sure that, no matter what part of New South Wales they live in, residents are able to access the rebates on offer to ease cost-of-living pressures. Service NSW centres are delivering much‑needed access to government services in a friendly, helpful and timely manner. Service NSW was introduced in 2013 by the Government as a one‑stop shop for vital services such as getting birth certificates, seniors cards, fishing licences, driver licences and renewing vehicle registration, which is so important for working families. I have witnessed firsthand the amazing work of Service NSW at Hurstville—and Rockdale, for that matter—and welcomed the Premier and the Minister for Customer Service to the newly opened centre at Roselands.

When I was doorknocking, the cost of living was continuously raised as one of the most important issues facing the people of the St George area. Under the directive of the Government, residents can now access over 70 rebates and incentives including Energy Switch, free rego, Active Kids and Creative Kids. As a result, $583 is the average saving of a resident in New South Wales who has visited a cost of living specialist. The Government has announced that households that use gas and electricity could save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills with the expansion of our popular Energy Switch service—a very good initiative. Perhaps one of the most popular rebates in my electorate is the Active Kids program. In the first 18 months of the program New South Wales residents have claimed more than one million Active Kids vouchers, saving over $100 million in sports registrations. The Government has made it a priority to reduce childhood overweight and obesity rates in New South Wales. Through the Active Kids rebate program, almost half of all school‑enrolled kids are enjoying the benefits of exercise.

A personal favourite of mine is the New South Wales Government's free FuelCheck app, which allows customers to locate the closest or cheapest service station to them. The app includes a "favourite stations" function, allowing users to save their favourite petrol stations. A "my trip" function utilises Google Maps, ensuring that users can find the cheapest petrol station on their journey and directing them to that station. Finally, there is a "trends" page showing the cheapest day of the week to fill up and the day's price range. I look forward to what Minister Dominello has planned in his continued efforts to reduce red tape and paperwork while increasing the rebates available through Service NSW centres.

The Government is building safe, just, inclusive and resilient communities in New South Wales through the budget for 2020‑21. We are incredibly fortunate to have an Attorney General who is committed to ensuring justice for victims of domestic violence. Violence in the home can control the life of the victim. It causes fear, psychological harm and often physical harm. The Government is focused on ensuring that all people can safely flee domestic violence if and when the need arises; that is why it has invested a record $431 million in domestic violence prevention across New South Wales, including in the St George area. The Government is also focused on driving grassroots initiatives in order to prevent domestic violence and it has committed more than $1 million to grants programs since its inception.

The latest rounds of grants programs provided up to $1,200 to 34 communities across New South Wales, from Parkes to Port Stephens and from Broken Hill to Bega. The money goes towards coastal walks, candlelight vigils and coffee clubs—just to name a few. Those projects are empowering local communities to stand against domestic and family violence. The achievements in preventing domestic violence include new legislation to improve victim support with the launch of survivor forums, the Government's partnership with the Our Watch organisation, and countless other initiatives. Those initiatives go a long way. Last year the Attorney General and I delivered $40,000 to Kingsway Community Care on behalf of the Government to go towards the opening of a refuge in the St George area. The funds will support repairs and maintenance for the new premises, including bathroom renovations, driveway construction, painting and much‑needed other services. It will be a place for victims to call home while they begin to navigate the very difficult path to recovery. I thank the Attorney General for that.

Investing in our schools means investing in our communities. This Government is rolling out 200 new and upgraded schools across the State, including four in my own electorate: Penshurst Public School, Penshurst West Public School, Hurstville Public School and Hurstville Grove Infants School. I am pleased to update the House that Penshurst Public School is officially open. The new school includes 47 brand-new classrooms, a brand-new library, hall and covered outdoor learning area in addition to open‑play spaces, including playing courts, seating, shade structures and running tracks around the school. There are also new administration and staff facilities, along with new staff and student amenities. Recently the great Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and the fantastic education Minister, Sarah Mitchell, opened the new Penshurst Public School. Last year Minister Mitchell also joined me to officially open the Penshurst West Public School upgrades. Those upgrades include new, modern teaching spaces and facilities, seven new learning spaces and classrooms, a new student amenities building, a special programs room and enhanced open spaces.

The New South Wales Government's record investment in new and upgraded schools is on top of the $1.3 billion to wipe the existing school maintenance backlog to zero and the $500 million Cooler Classrooms Program to provide air conditioning to more classrooms than ever before. Furthermore, our Government is aiming to reduce the cost of before‑ and after‑school care by up to $225 per child per year via a capped rental subsidy program of up to $15,000 for providers who run services on New South Wales Government school grounds. The $120 million strategy over four years includes $50 million to help schools buy new equipment and expand their facilities. When those opposite were in government, they closed schools—100 in fact—but we are building and rebuilding up to 200 of them over our term in government.

On a personal note, last year my son James completed his second year of schooling. He is now in year 2 at Mortdale. It has been a delight to watch James grow and learn. Like so many students across New South Wales, James is benefiting from bold and ambitious investment in our schools and in education. Fittingly, my wife, Adla, is a high school teacher. Her passion for education is inspiring, and that passion has certainly rubbed off on me. I am incredibly proud that our Government is continuing to invest in our education system across every facet of this State. I look forward to keeping the House up to date on any further developments of our education system in the Oatley electorate. The people of New South Wales are proud of how we tackled the challenges of 2020. Under this budget, our State will bounce back stronger and even better than before, and local communities like mine will grow even stronger.

Mr NATHANIEL SMITH (Wollondilly) (16:57:04):

As a first‑term member of Parliament elected to the Fifty‑Seventh Parliament of New South Wales, I am conscious of and grateful for the privilege bestowed on me to represent the people of Wollondilly. Roads, transport, tourism, education, health, cultural development, open space and sporting infrastructure are the key areas in which the Government is delivering for our region to deal with future growth. Over the past 10 years the Berejiklian Government has worked hard and made the tough decisions in order to make the biggest infrastructure investment in the State's history. In return, the people of New South Wales supported that policy to improve liveability for citizens and for future generations. After being elected for a third term in March 2019, the New South Wales Government is getting on with the job and building a better New South Wales for communities across the State.

The 2021 New South Wales budget reflects the Government's clear focus on supporting our regions through recovery, reform and a return to prosperity after a year of unprecedented challenges. There has never been a more important time to make sure that our regional communities impacted by drought, bushfires, floods and COVID‑19 are getting the help they need to rebuild and recover. The New South Wales Government is focused on supporting our regional businesses, including manufacturing, resource and agricultural sectors, to recover quickly and return to growth, while also positioning regional economies to further specialise in innovation‑ and technology‑focused industries. It just so happens that in the past week a pilot model was announced by Minister Stokes. I had the pleasure of being involved in that with agritourism, which is the future of the Wollondilly electorate and the Southern Highlands. It will allow farmers not only to run their properties but also to have other tacit income coming in. The one thing we can control is reducing red tape; the one thing we cannot control is the weather.

Debate interrupted.