Billions to Boost Western Sydney's Growth

The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue has welcomed the more than $4 billion in additional infrastructure investment for Western Sydney announced in today’s NSW Budget. The leading advocacy group said the funding will boost jobs and support housing growth in the region.

A $700 million top-up for the Bankstown Hospital redevelopment, $835 million for infrastructure around Western Sydney Aerotropolis and an additional $1.3 billion for road projects headline the major investments for GWS.

Dialogue CEO, Adam Leto, said the NSW Government is putting Western Sydney at the heart of its response to the state’s growth challenge.

“The first two budgets by the NSW Government were largely defined by restraint and austerity,” Mr Leto said.

“This budget, while still very considered, is focused on growth, and is a positive step towards improving transport connectivity, enabling more housing and unlocking jobs.

“The NSW Government has shown that it is serious about building its way out of the current housing crisis, and the combination of policy reform and new infrastructure investments will be welcomed by the region.

“The additional $700 million for Bankstown Hospital is a game-changing investment that will link the nearby Western Sydney University campus to the soon-to-be-completed metro station in the fast-growing Canterbury-Bankstown corridor.

“Funding for a new pathology lab at Westmead Hospital, a birthing unit at the new Rouse Hill Hospital, as well as more buses and road projects in the fast-growing north and south west, are the investments the region needs if it’s to continue to shoulder responsibility for delivering much of Sydney’s housing growth.”

With the opening of Western Sydney International Airport late next year, Mr Leto said the NSW Government’s $835 million of extra infrastructure funding around Western Sydney Aerotropolis shows the government is backing the region.

Mr Leto said the $500 million investment to connect Liverpool to WSI via the Fifteenth Avenue Transit Corridor, $150 million for the Aerotropolis road network and over $600 million to unlock industrial land in the Aerotropolis will drive more investment and momentum for the West.

“The clock is ticking as we get set for the first plane to touch down on Western Sydney soil which is why these investments needed to be made now,” Mr Leto added.

“Importantly, these road and water connections have the potential to generate up to 120,000 jobs for Western Sydney.

“This funding responds to the challenge of ensuring the cities of the West have access to the jobs, amenity and services that come with a 24/7 airport and Aerotropolis on their doorstep.”

Significant investments for GWS in the NSW State Budget include:

• $1.3b of additional road investment, including $500m for the Fifteenth Avenue Transit Corridor and road projects in booming north-west suburbs, including Rouse Hill, Blacktown, Rooty Hill, Marsden Park and Schofields
• $835m for infrastructure around Western Sydney Aerotropolis, including water connections to unlock the Mamre Road Industrial Precinct and new funding for the Aerotropolis Road Network
• An additional $700m for Bankstown Hospital, including $100m to relocate TAFE NSW Bankstown Campus to WSU Bankstown City Campus and Padstow TAFE
• Three new public schools and additional public school upgrades
• $492m for a state-of-the-art pathology hub at Westmead Hospital
• $486.1m over the next four years for water, wastewater and recycled water infrastructure to support housing growth in Wilton and Picton
• $395.5m over four years to build Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2
• $150m for more regular school bus services in the South and North West Sydney, including a new service to connect Macarthur Heights to the train station and between Wilton and Campbelltown, and improvements between Liverpool and Parramatta and Rouse Hill and Parramatta.
• $90m in conjunction with the federal government for a birthing unit at Rouse Hill Hospital
• An additional $40.1m to create the first kids complex care centre in Australia, named the ‘Kookaburra Centre’, within the Westmead Hospital Stage 2 development
• $27m for a business case for South West Sydney rail (Bradfield to Campbelltown via Leppington)
• $22.3m to establish a new paediatric hospice at the Children’s Hospital Westmead
• $15.4m to grow the workforce and enhance mental health support for young people experiencing severe and complex mental illness including in Blacktown, Campbelltown and Penrith.
• $10m to maintain infrastructure at Sydney Olympic Park’s sporting precinct
• $9.2m for upgrades to the Penrith Regatta Centre and Whitewater Stadium, and an extension of Penrith Beach for two more summer seasons ($5.2m)
• $1m for upgrades at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan