Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle has labelled the NSW budget a “dud” with the only big-ticket items for the electorate being previously announced highway upgrades and the controversial new train fleet.
“When you deduct the money that is being re-announced for old projects or being wasted tidying up the failures and incompetence of the transport minister, the Blue Mountains is left with very little of any substance in this budget,” she said.
The budget included more than $11 million for road improvements including safety improvements on the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Mount Victoria, said Upper House Government MP Shayne Mallard.
“Blue Mountains commuters will be pleased to see a further $495 million allocated to the continued purchase of the new fleet of 500 state of the art interurban carriages,” he said.
“Contrary to one of Labor’s favourite fake news stories, the Liberal government is strategically delivering the infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the new fleet as planned.”
The budget also allocated more than $600,000 in grants to Blue Mountains City Council for road maintenance and lighting subsidy.
Mr Mallard challenged Ms Doyle to acknowledge the budget “delivers for the people of the Blue Mountains”, but she was quick to mock his claims in return.
“I cannot believe that the government wants a pat on the back for re-announcing money for the Mount Victoria highway roadworks that have been grinding on for years and years,” she said.
“And the new intercity fleet procurement project is such an unmitigated disaster that I am surprised Mr Mallard would dare draw attention to it. If I were in his shoes I would be embarrassed to even mention the South Korean trains that don’t fit the tracks and which Blue Mountains commuters don’t want. He is like The Simpson’s monorail shyster, Lyle Lanley, trying to sell us a new train that is already a complete failure and it hasn’t even been built yet.”
Ms Doyle said the budget wasted money on “failed projects like the CBD light rail and the never-ending cost blow outs on the WestConnex white elephant but there isn’t a single red cent for upgrades or renewal at public schools in the Blue Mountains, some of which like Springwood High are literally sinking into the ground they’re built on”.
She also criticised the budget for ignoring people who rent their home – “in the Blue Mountains this represents almost 20 per cent of the community”.
But Mr Mallard said: “With record low unemployment and jobs growth, a healthy budget surplus and investment in communities, families and infrastructure with tax cuts for small businesses, all members of Parliament should be pleased with the Liberal State budget.”