The NSW Government has today delivered its 2022-23 NSW Budget, which provides significant funding for the Central Coast community.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the Budget would provide Central Coast residents with the confidence that the NSW Government has their back.
“This is a responsible budget that is focused on reform,” Mr Crouch said.
“This budget will provide substantial support to our region with a strong focus on cost-of-living support for families and continued delivery of infrastructure.
“That’s why the Budget provides a range of support measures like the $150 Back to School Voucher, the $250 Regional Apprentice and Uni Travel Card, toll relief for Central Coast commuters, expanded access to childcare and the Energy Bill Buster Program.”
Highlights from the 2022-23 NSW Budget for the Central Coast include:
Cost of Living
- $193 million Back to School Voucher of $150 voucher for every school child towards the cost of school supplies.
- $98 million to provide a $250 prepaid Regional Apprentice and Uni Travel Card for regional students and apprentices to ease the cost of travel.
- $128 million Energy Buster program. Households may be eligible to choose between a free solar system or energy saving upgrades which could save up to $600 per year.
- Women looking for work will be able to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to fund a new work wardrobe, technology, and training to help them return to the workforce, thanks to a $32 million investment.
- Motorists can save up to $750 a year on tolls under a new relief package, receiving a 40% rebate once they spend more than $375 in a year.
- Additional services through the ‘Cost of Living Assessment’ provided by Service NSW.
- Extension of the Regional Seniors Travel Card providing $11.5 million in support to Central Coast seniors.
Energy and Environment
- $38 million in charging infrastructure to accelerate the EV revolution across NSW, bringing the states investment to $633 million under the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy.
- Delivering a major boost to fire management in national parks through a $598 million investment, delivering 250 permanent jobs and critical infrastructure upgrades.
- Additional $93.7 million to deliver the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy to prepare for the impacts of climate change and capture new investment opportunities.
Employment and safety
- $30.2 million over two years will establish the Greater Cities Commission with its expanded remit over the Six Cities, including $20.2 million to undertake critical planning priorities on the Central Coast.
- $1.3 billion for the next phase of the Regional Job Creation Fund statewide, including the development of a new Mountain Bike Park at Glenworth Valley.
- Employers across the State will be supported to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, following the launch of a Respect at Work Taskforce.
- Public spaces, parklands and public transport will undergo a women’s safety overhaul as part of a $30 million anti-street harassment initiative to be co-designed with women and girls.
- $3 million over three years for a Regional Media Capital Grants package to help breathe fresh life into regional news gathering and reporting.
Education and training
- $18.2 million investment to help establish the new University of Newcastle’s Gosford Campus.
- More than 18,000 prospective early childhood teachers and carers will be supported to enter the sector or boost their skills across the State thanks to a $281.6 million workforce package
- Affordable preschool for families across NSW thanks to more than $1.4 billion over four years. Providing up to $4,000 per year in fee relief.
- More than $5.8 billion over 10 years to begin the delivery of universal pre-Kindergarten for all children in NSW by 2030.
- Balancing work and life for families will become easier thanks to a $37.9 million investment in before and after school care services.
- The Government will also ensure there are viable before and after school care options for families in areas with no current services through a $20.2 million package.
- Women in small business will have access to free TAFE courses and professional advice thanks to $15 million over the next four years.
Health
- A 6 per cent pay increase over two years for Central Coast Local Health District’s 8,000 staff, as well as thousands more public sector employees including Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and teachers. In addition to this health staff will receive a $3,000 bonus to say thank you for their support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A record 10,148 full-time equivalent staff will be recruited to hospitals and health services across the State over four years.
- $1.76 billion boost to frontline emergency ambulance care providing, 1,858 extra paramedics, 210 ambulance support staff, 52 nurses, eight doctors and 30 new ambulance stations, including two news ambulance stations in Kincumber and Lisarow.
- Access to the highest quality care and pain management services at the end of their life, with palliative care and specialist health services to receive a record $743 million funding boost over the next five years.
- An expansion of the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS), with the NSW Government investing an additional $149.5 million. The Central Coast has already seen 209 people benefit from this scheme annually.
- $408 million to fast-track elective surgeries delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic response, taking the NSW Governments total commitment to reducing waiting times to almost $1 billion over the course of the pandemic.
- $80,000 to support PCYC Umina’s Empowering Women and Girls health through participation in sport program.
Housing and Local Infrastructure
- The First Home Buyer Choice is part of $728.6 million housing package delivering quality, accessible and affordable housing across NSW.
- $500 million unlocking land and accelerating housing infrastructure to help enable hundreds of thousands of new homes across the State.
- A funding injection of $37 million will build on the success of the NSW Government’s Together Home program in tackling the issue of homelessness.
- $5.84 million in upgrades to social housing across the Central Coast.
- $660,000 to develop a new social housing project on the Central Coast.
- $7.3 million towards the Warnervale Town Centre Water and Sewer plan.
- $6.8 million for the Mardi Water treatment plant upgrade.
- $159,000 to commence stage 2 upgrades at Carrington Street Oval, Narara.
- $91,000 to build practice wickets at Baker Park, Wyong.
- $134,000 to support the Saratoga Sailing Club’s Security Equity Accessibility and Sustainability Project.
Transport and Roads
- $500 million commitment for the first step in the Northern Corridor, bringing faster rail a step closer.
- $5.46 million for continued planning and preconstruction at Mann’s Road between Stockyard Place and Narara creek Road.
- $7 million commence construction at Blackwall Road and McMasters Road.
- $26 million to continue the widening of Pacific Highway between Parsons Road and Ourimbah Street, Lisarow.
- $25 million to continue planning and commence construction at the Tumbi Road intersection on Central Coast Highway.
- $1.5 million to continue planning to deliver Tuggerah Commuter Car Park.
- $27.7 million to continue to expansion and upgrade of Tuggerah Train Station, including installing two lifts as part of the Transport Accessibility Program.
- $999 million to continue the delivery of the state-of-the-art trains, known as the new Intercity Fleet.
- $271 million in Local Community Grants, supporting Central Coast Council with local road maintenance.
- $1 million towards finalising design and early enabling works for the upgrade through Pacific Highway through Wyong Town Centre.
- $10.0 million for a state-first trial of hydrogen-powered electric buses on the Central Coast.
For more information, go to: www.budget.nsw.gov.au.