This was published 5 years ago
Federal Budget 2019: Western Sydney Airport rail line, North South Rail Link included in NSW $7.3b infrastructure boost
By Alexandra Smith
More than 3.6 million NSW residents will receive immediate tax relief and the state's infrastructure boom will be further boosted with $7.3 billion for new rail and road projects.
Funding to health and hospitals in NSW will also increase, while GST payments, which the state government has repeatedly said leaves NSW "short-changed" will also rise this financial year.
The first federal budget after the NSW Coalition government was returned for a historic third term has revealed a tax cut of up to $1080 this financial year for more than 3 million residents.
More than 1.1 million small- and medium-sized businesses will also be eligible for the instant asset write-off, which is being increased to $30,000.
A new Metro train is tested at Tallawong Station. The government has promised $3.5 billion for the Western Sydney North-South Rail link.
NSW has a $90 billion infrastructure pipeline planned over the next four years but the state will also receive more than $7 billion from the federal government for new projects.
Last year's budget gifted NSW a small bucket of money for three projects.
Included in this year's funding is $3.5 billion for the first stage of the Western Sydney North South Rail Link, including $61 million for the Elizabeth Drive Overpass.
The new rail line will run from St Marys to Sydney's new airport at Badgerys Creek.
There is $1.6 billion for the extension of the M1 Pacific Motorway at Raymond Terrace, as well as $500 million for an upgrade of the Princes Highway.
A third crossing on the Hawkesbury River will be built with a $200 million investment and there will also be $254 million from the expanded Urban Congestion Fund for projects in Sydney and the Central Coast, targeting pinch points in Eastwood, Kirrawee and Sydney Olympic Park.
Commuter car parks in Gosford, Panania, Hurstville and Woy Woy will also be funded out of a $50 million pocket of the federal government's Urban Congestion Fund.
The federal government will also provide $40 million for detailed assessments of fast rail corridors, including in NSW from Sydney to Wollongong and Sydney to Parkes (via Bathurst and Orange).
The government has already funded a study into fast rail from Sydney to Newcastle.
Late last year, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that if she was re-elected the Coalition would "start work" on a fast rail network.
Four routes between Sydney and regional cities would be considered, including Sydney to Canberra, Sydney to Nowra, Sydney to Newcastle and Port Macquarie and Sydney to the Central West.
Ms Berejiklian said she would not wait for the other states or the federal government. "I can give you this assurance: we will be starting in the next term of government," Ms Berejiklian said in December.
The budget also provides $496 million funding for "roads of strategic importance" in rural and regional areas of the state.
Health and hospitals funding in NSW will increase by $1.1 billion between 2019-20 and 2022-23, including $761.3 million extra this year
Key investments include $64.8 million for the Community Health and Hospital Program and $100 million for a comprehensive Children's Cancer Centre at the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick
The federal government says payments to NSW for public hospitals have increased by 59 per cent from $4.3 billion in 2012-13 to $6.8 billion in 2019-20.
GST payments to NSW will also rise, estimated to be $18.7 billion in 2019-20, an increase of $761.3 million compared with 2018-19.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has been vocal about NSW being "short-changed" on GST as well as federal infrastructure funding, demanding the state be given a better deal.
An analysis of infrastructure funding projections released earlier this year by Mr Perrottet's office showed NSW would receive, on average, less per-capita of Commonwealth money than every state except Victoria over the next four years.
- Princes Highway upgrade, $500 million
- Hawkesbury River third crossing, $200 million
- M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace, $1.6 billion
- Western Sydney North-South Rail link, $3.5 billion
- Urban Congestion Fund, $254 million