COUNTDOWN - 100 DAYS FOR BEREJIKLIAN TO PRODUCE A PLAN FOR WOLLONGONG

13 December 2018

Today marks 100 days until the NSW election on March 23 next year.

Today marks 100 days until the NSW election on March 23 next year.

 

Over the next 100 days Wollongong residents expect the Berejiklian Government to announce a fully-funded, comprehensive plan for Wollongong to match that put forward by NSW Labor.

 

Under NSW Labor’s Illawarra Jobs Action Plan a series of infrastructure, job-supporting and job creating plans are proposed including:

 

  • Upgrading Unanderra Station, including the construction of lifts;
  • Upgrading the WIN Entertainment Centre;
  • Using at least 90 per cent local steel in NSW Government infrastructure projects;
  • $50 million investment to partner with the private sector to build the Maldon-Dombarton rail link;
  • $2.4 billion for improvements to the South Coast rail line;
  • Improvements to Appin Road and the Springhill and Masters Road interchange;
  • $5 million for upgrades to Mt Keira Summit Park;
  • $5 million contribution to a maker space on the Innovation Campus for small and medium enterprises;
  • Appointing a Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast and holding regular NSW Cabinet meetings in the Illawarra;
  • Restarting the Green Jobs Illawarra Plan.

 

In contrast, over the last eight years in Wollongong the NSW Liberals have:

 

  • Overseen a 50 per cent increase in elective surgery waiting lists at Wollongong Hospital;
  • Reallocated the funds for the construction of lifts at Unanderra Station;
  • Not funded any projects in the Wollongong local government area from the $20 billion privatisation of electricity assets;
  • Overseen an increase in electricity bills of more than 60 per cent since 2015;
  • Excluded Wollongong local government area from all sports facility upgrade funding programs;
  • Allowed our passenger rail services to become more crowded;
  • Privatised assets and used nearly all of the proceeds on projects outside of the Illawarra;
  • Committed the lowest level of budget expenditure for the Wollongong electorate in decades in its last budget.

 

Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:

 

“Wollongong has consistently been ignored by the NSW Liberals under Premiers OFarrell, Baird and now Berejiklian and we’ve had enough.

 

 

“Labor governments have always been willing to invest in the Illawarra and back Wollongong’s ability and that will continue under a Daley Labor Government through the investment in our Illawarra Jobs Action Plan.

 

“Wollongong is the third largest city in NSW and we deserve to be taken seriously by the NSW Liberals.

 

“We deserve our fair share.

 

“With 100 days to go until the 2019 NSW election the Berejiklian Government is on notice to put forward a fully-funded, comprehensive plan for Wollongong to match that of NSW Labor’s.”