Treasurer Matt Kean copies Joe Biden and Boris Johnson in NSW ‘build back better’ motto

The new NSW Treasurer appears to have drawn lofty inspiration from the US President and British PM for the state’s ambitious recovery plan.

Just days into the job as NSW treasurer, Matt Kean has drawn inspiration for the state’s recovery from US President Joe Biden.

In an interview on Sky News, Mr Kean repeated the words of the American Democrat leader to say he wanted NSW to “build back better”.

“My focus will be on ensuring that we get the economy rebooted, that we build back better after this crisis and that we set ourselves up for a more prosperous future,” he said.

Matt Kean was unapologetic about using the motto rolled out by Biden last July.

When approached by The Daily Telegraph about recycling the phrase, Mr Kean was unapologetic.

“It’s what the world has to do, we have to come out better than we went in,” he said. “We don’t want to spend all this stimulus money and not come out stronger and more prosperous.”

Mr Biden first rolled the phrase out on July 9 last year saying: “We have a great ­opportunity to build back and to build back better.” Then-president Donald Trump’s team accused him of plagiarising foreign politicians. Undeterred, Mr Biden has since named a whole recovery agenda after the phrase.

US President Joe Biden with his recovery motto in the background. Picture: Olivier Douliery

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson first said “we owe it to future generations to build back better” on May 28 last year. On September 29 he appeared on stage in Exeter with the slogan as the backdrop to talk about jobs and training.

He followed that up with a series of jokey videos during the recent Conservative Party conference at Manchester where he was filmed buttering toast, drinking beer and eating fish and chips. “Build back butter,” he said. “Build back bitter,” and “Build back batter.”

Others have also been seduced by its alliterative ring including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; and even Pakistan Prime Minister and former cricketer Imran Khan.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his leader's keynote speech during the Conservative Party conference last week. Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty

However, the reality is that they have all been plagiarising the United Nations which first used the phrase following the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Mr Kean conceded that it is “a pretty catchy phrase” but did not shrink away from using it to describe exactly how he wanted to “turbocharge” the NSW economy.

“This is what our key allies around the world are focusing on, to make sure that we come out of the coronavirus better than before it began,” he said.