REGIONAL CITIES NSW WELCOMES STATE BUDGET

Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) has welcomed the 2024-2025 state budget with key initiatives addressing regional housing, road and rail connectivity, digital connectivity and water security funded.

“Today’s budget shows that the Government has listened to issues raised by our members ]as part of our annual advocacy efforts, key programs across these areas will start the task of addressing our growth pressures,” Cr Mathew Dickerson Chair of RCNSW and Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council said.

“Regional cities are growing at a rapid rate investment that will support this growth is fundamental to the success of our cities and the regions that surround them,” Cr Dickerson said.

Budget highlights for regional cities include:

State Wide Housing Initiatives

·       $5.1 billion to build 8,400 social homes across the state; and

·       $253.7 million to bolster the State’s planning system to improve housing supply across NSW, including in regional areas.

Regional Housing Initiatives

·       $200.1 million  to increase key health worker accommodation across rural and regional NSW including in Tweed Heads, Lismore;

·       $85.0 million added to the Housing Infrastructure Fund to support local government to deliver new homes including those in Tweed Heads to Wagga Wagga (previously announced); and

·       $8.4 million to resource the activities of the Rental Commissioner.

Regional Initiatives: Skills and Immigration

·       Expanding the Welcome Experience, a concierge service to attract key workers to regional NSW (previously announced).

Regional Road Connectivity Initiatives

·       $290.0 million additional funding for the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program for state‑wide targeted and proven initiatives to improve road safety.

Regional Rail connectivity

·       $66.2 million to continue the Fixing Country Rail Program to deliver improved movement of freight and increase reliability of the regional rail network; and

·       $1.2 billion to continue delivering a new rail fleet to replace the ageing regional fleets to improve safety, accessibility, amenities and reliability.

Regional Digital Connectivity

·       $283.4 million (over four years) to enhance digital connectivity across regional NSW.

Regional Community Infrastructure

·       $50.0 million additional funding for the Regional Development Trust (now a $400.0 million allocation)

Regional Water Security

·       $307.2 million to improve water security for regional communities, industries and the environment through the Safe and Secure Water Program.

Education 

·       $1.4 billion for regional education infrastructure across the state; and

·       Ongoing funding for the Priority Recruitment Support program which as a sign on bonus of up to $20,000, and an $8000 relocation support package.

While acknowledging the positive step forward for regional cities in the 2024-225 state budget, Cr Dickerson said RCNSW the job was not yet done.

“My colleagues and I will continue to work with Government to ensure regional cities get their fair share of funding allocated today” Cr Dickerson said.

“Regional cities really are the best place to live and work, people are voting with their feet and leaving Sydney in drives – getting investment right in our cities is the best thing for the mighty state of NSW,” Cr Dickerson concluded.