Some good wins for Lake Macquarie in today's State budget


22nd June 2021
After many years of campaigning, we’ve been able to secure $35m for the first stage of upgrading Hillsborough Road. Most importantly, this stage includes the installation

While this year’s State Budget reflects a solid response to the statewide economic challenges of the Covid pandemic, it’s also delivered some significant announcements for the Lake Macquarie electorate.

After many years of campaigning, we’ve been able to secure $35m for the first stage of upgrading Hillsborough Road. Most importantly, this stage includes the installation of traffic signals at the dangerous Crockett Street intersection.

This is a great win for us and for the people of Cardiff South who put their lives on the line every time they try to turn onto Hillsborough Road.

The $35m is ready to go from July 1. Concept designs for the Hillsborough Rd stretch between Crockett Street and the Newcastle bypass will soon go out for public consultation. Once that’s done, work can start.

Also in today’s Budget is $3m for the three-year extension of the Boolaroo Lead Mitigation scheme. This is the scheme we worked hard for and which delivers financial assistance for Boolaroo residents whose properties are affected by Pasminco’s legacy contamination.

The existing fund was due to finish this year, but we now have an assurance that funding assistance to landowners will not only continue for the next three years, the amount available will be a huge boost on what was previously available.

The Government has also responded to my calls for commuter parking stations at Morisset, Cardiff and Fassifern, allocating $2.25m for initial planning for 180 new spaces at Morisset, 110 new spaces at Cardiff and 72 new spaces at Fassifern.

We still have a couple of major road and transport issues which need urgent attention, most notably the Speers Point roundabout and congestion through Morisset. It’s disappointing these have not received direct funding in today’s Budget, but there are a number of funding programs which I’ll continue to target for these projects over the coming year.

This is a great Budget for Lake Macquarie. Not everything we wanted, but we’ve finally got some action on Hillsborough Road, we’ve got things moving on the new commuter car parks, we’ve got a three-year extension to the Lead Mitigation Scheme which is a massive boost for Boolaroo residents dealing with the Pasminco legacy issues.

 

Key highlights for the Lake Macquarie Electorate

  • $35m for the first stage of a three-stage upgrade of Hillsborough Road, including the Crockett St intersection.
  • $3m over three years to continue the Boolaroo Lead Mitigation Scheme.
  • $2.25m towards commuter car parks at Morisset (180 additional spaces), Cardiff (110 new spaces) and Fassifern (72 additional spaces)
  • $1.4m for Aboriginal housing at Bolton Point.
  • $1.185m for maintenance on existing social housing.
  • $12.17m to continue planning on the Fassifern-Hexham freight rail corridor.
  • $132,000 from the Boating Now fund for a new boat ramp and pontoon at Balcolyn.
  • $557,000 for new capital works by Hunter Water, including reservoir renewal at Arcadia Vale and Morisset. A further $4.4m has been allocated towards finishing the upgrade of Toronto’s wastewater treatment works and $3.8m for stormwater rehabilitation at Munibung Creek.
  • $150,000 for the continued management of the former Pasminco site at Boolaroo.
  • $314,000 in Resources for Regions funding for the Alkrington Avenue Park redevelopment at Fishing Point and Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council.
  • $400,000 for the Community Building Partnership Scheme in Lake Macquarie.

 

 

Other key highlights and statewide funds to benefit Lake Macquarie:

 

  • Regional Seniors Travel Card will be extended to seniors in the Lake Macquarie electorate for another two years.
  • $100 ‘swim safe’ voucher available to all pre-schoolers.
  • Local families eligible to get two free days of pre-school a week for their youngsters.
  • Stamp duties abolished on the purchase of new electric vehicles (under $78,000)
  • 2.5% wage increase for public sector workers.
  • Lake Macquarie eligible for share of $240m in Fixing Local Roads grants.
  • Lake Macquarie eligible for share of $500m in Fixing Country Bridges grants.
  • Toronto, Morisset and Lake Macquarie high schools eligible for $6-billion school capital works program.
  • $28m towards the planned extension of the M1 at Raymond Terrace.
  • The Government has allocated $300m towards a new fund designed to assist communities affected by mine closures.
  • An extra $60m for services to assist women and children experiencing domestic violence.
  • $380m to expedite private investment in solar, wind and energy storage projects.

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