This year’s state financial blueprint already had all the makings of a pre-election cash splash – even before NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet uttered a word of his second budget speech on Tuesday.
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With less than a year before the state’s voters head to the polls in March, the Berejiklian government has got itself on the front foot - digging deeply into the state’s purse to give a helping hand to those in need and to push ahead with its infrastructure agenda.
Sweeteners are part of many budgets – you need to have some good to counter any hidden nasties lurking among all those numbers. And, there were plenty of sweeteners scattered throughout this year.
However, this year’s approach to the budget was different. Typically, as has been the case in recent years, little was known in the lead-up to the Tuesday in June when the budget was delivered. Not this year, though, thanks to what seemed like daily announcements of some of the key items.
This year’s budget was like a colander – it had plenty of leaks. It made for few surprises, but it showed the Berejiklian government won’t be leaving anything to chance when it comes to the March state election.
NSW might be in good financial shape, having posted a $3.9 billion surplus in 2017-18 and forecasting surpluses averaging $1.6 billion a year for the next four years, but the need to keep voters on side is crucial.
There was plenty of cost-of-living assistance handed out in this budget – including a new Creative Kids Rebate, which gives families a $100 voucher for each of their school aged children to fund extra-curricular activities such as music, drama, visual and performing arts classes.
There was also the optional baby bundle to help parents of newborns, as well as cuts to parking fines, just to name a few.
Many projects that were announced prior to the 2015 election continued to receive an injection of cash this time around – work has to be well under way by now so voters aren’t left with that broken promises feeling when they put pencil to paper at the ballot box.
The Berejiklian government’s investment in infrastructure, including a record spend of $87.2 billion over the next four years should be commended. However, much of that money is centred around Sydney.
Once again, western Sydney was identified as a region in its own right – and plenty of money went there. Cash was also splashed on major road upgrades and infrastructure projects across the state, but there’s no doubt some communities have been left feeling short-changed.
While there was plenty of good news in this budget, residents in two parts of NSW will be feeling particularly hard done by.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said his budget showed “the conservative heart”, but Wollongong and Newcastle residents won't necessarily be feeling the love – thanks to a conservative approach to a fresh wave of projects in the cities and the fact both were left off the budget’s regional overview document. Instead they were classed as metropolitan. Many often say NSW = Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong. This year’s budget confirmed that. It’s time definitions of rural, regional and metropolitan NSW to be set in stone – there’s been too much uncertainty. Some councils have missed out on funding, while their neighbours reap the rewards of particular pots of government money.
There’s nothing sweet about this situation. Voters deserve to know the government’s stance on issues, including how the area they live is defined in the eyes of politicians in Macquarie Street. An election is looming.