Cash will be splashed across the Illawarra and South Coast to start the regions' major road and hospital projects, or keep those under way moving - but this year's NSW budget bag of cash was empty when it came to spending on new infrastructure.
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It was dubbed a budget that “shows the conservative heart” by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet. However, Illawarra residents won't necessarily be feeling the love – thanks to what was a conservative approach to a fresh wave of projects in the region.
While Mr Perrottet delivered plenty of pre-election sweeteners in his second budget – the last before voters head to the polls in March – the region was short-changed when it came to new infrastructure spends.
Illawarra parliamentary secretary Gareth Ward had vowed prior to Tuesday's release that the budget would "bring home the bacon" and start long-awaited projects. That might have been the case, but with a budget that leaked like a colander in the lead up, most of the spending was already known – and for already-announced projects.
As revealed by the Mercury on Tuesday, this year’s budget set aside cash in 2018-19 to begin construction of the Albion Park Rail bypass, money to continue the Shellharbour Hospital redevelopment and the funds to finalise planning work for a new Nowra bridge. The government also matched the commitment of its federal counterpart, reserving $155 million in Restart NSW funding for the new river crossing.
The budget papers stated just $5 million has been spent on the Shellharbour Hospital upgrade - worth an estimated total cost of $250.6 million - to date, with completion expected in 2022.
The documents also showed 2022 completion dates for the bypass and the Berry to Bomaderry Princes Highway upgrade, which have total estimated costs of $630 million and $450 million, respectively.
The road upgrades were among an number of continuing projects in this year’s budget. Every Illawarra project listed on a region-specific budget sell from Mr Ward was previously announced or already under way. Also previously-flagged was the lack on money for lifts at Unanderra train station, despite a $132.9 million 2018-19 spend on the government's Transport Access Program.
Mr Ward said the 2018 budget delivered “some exceptional local projects that will build and renew infrastructure, provide new and enhanced services and make life easier for residents”.
The Illawarra’s Opposition spokesman, and shadow treasurer, Ryan Park said he was “really disappointed” the third largest city in NSW and an “economic powerhouse” for the state's economy had “once again been let down”.
“Particularly in relation to public transport and road infrastructure,” Mr Park said.
