Labor's second budget has now been delivered, and it's a mixed bag for our region, as it is for all regional NSW.
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The good news is that after months of meetings and advocacy, funding has been retained for the major projects that we've been working on for some time.
This includes the Gunnedah Hospital, Tamworth Mental Health Unit, new Nioka Palliative Care Unit, Pet Scan for Tamworth, Goonoo Goonoo Road, Port Stephens Cutting, the Werris Creek Industrial Precinct, Tamworth's industrial water recycling facility and of course the funding for the University.
These projects are incredibly important to our region, and I'll continue to work with the government and it's Minister's to ensure they're delivered to the expectation of our community.
It's also good to see a little bit of funding for school infrastructure at Tamworth High, Woolomin Public, and Niangala Public School, but what's missing from this budget is any indication that this government is looking towards our region's future.
I've been calling on this government to adopt my plan for a new school for Tamworth, a project that would recognise the rapid housing growth in the Moore Creek area.
New housing continues to be built in that area, with more and more young families choosing to call Moore Creek home. We need the government to plan for that growth, and a new school should be at the top of that list.
This is a budget without a vision for our region, with the only investment being made in projects that were created, planned, and funded by the former Coalition Government.
We need to know what's next for our region, and I'll continue to push the government in parliament to ensure they're doing the work necessary to allow our growth.
Meanwhile, we'll continue to campaign for a return of the cost-of-living measures that made a difference to families and seniors in our region.
We want to see a return of programs like active kids vouchers, creative kids vouchers, the regional seniors travel card, first lap vouchers, and other cost of living measures that have remained on the scrapheap.
This budget has been a mixed bag for us, but I'll continue to work hard to keep this government accountable and ensure we don't go backwards.
