Federal Budget 2022: The NSW infrastructure projects set for cash injections
Highways, flood recovery and regional communities are among major focuses for the Treasurer as he hands down this year’s Federal Budget. SEE WHAT’S IN STORE FOR NSW:
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Billions of dollars in infrastructure funding has been revealed in this year’s Federal Budget — with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handing down a major cash-splash for highways on the south coast, Western Sydney, Central Coast and across the state’s north.
Meanwhile, flood recovery — particularly in the Northern Rivers — is another major focus in the Treasurer’s plan for expenditure this year.
A $2 billion fund has been developed to target investments in regional communities across the country, in an effort to “unlock growth prospects for industries and businesses”.
The Regional Accelerator Program will see $142 million in Educational Infrastructure for regional Australia, a $25.0 million for the Defence Capability Improvement Grant program and $9 million for the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities Grants program.
“The Government has identified 12 programs where it will target investments through a $2.0 billion Regional Accelerator Program to further grow Australia’s regional communities,” the Treasurer said.
“This will empower our strong and dynamic regions to capitalise on existing and emerging opportunities.
“It will also unlock growth prospects for industries and businesses to ensure thriving regions are internationally competitive.”
Mr Frydenberg said the Government is providing $500.0 million for regional manufacturers. “This will enhance Australia’s international competitiveness by assisting regional manufacturers to translate good ideas into commercial success,” he said.
Meanwhile additional funding has been secured for a range of regional community initiatives including the Critical Minerals Accelerator Initiative ($200.0 million), Regionalisation
Fund ($500.0 million), Modern Manufacturing Initiative ($500.0 million), Recycling Modernisation Fund ($30.3 million), Australian Apprenticeships Initiatives ($144.1 million), National Centre for Digital Agriculture, Innovation and Adoption Hubs ($30.0 million) and the Regional Trailblazer Universities ($118.9 million).
More than $6 billion is funding has been allocated in response to the devastating floods that destroyed thousands of homes across NSW last month.
The Treasurer said the Federal Government was providing financial support to households, businesses, primary producers, not-for-profit organisations and councils in an effort to help “affected communities get back on their feet”.
“Targeted assistance is being provided to communities in the Northern Rivers region, recognising the catastrophic impacts on that region,” he said.
“Support includes additional payments to households, support for temporary accommodation and grants to businesses to recover and rebuild.
“The Government expects to spend more than $6 billion on disaster relief and recovery as a result of these floods – this includes new measures as well as reimbursing the states for a share of their costs such as the reconstruction of essential public assets like roads and schools.”
Funding efforts has seen $2.2 billion to households for income support, temporary accommodation and social services, $588.6 million for community clean-up and recovery, including $300.0 million from the Emergency Response Fund for recovery and post-disaster resilience initiatives, a massive $665 million to businesses and farmers for repairs, new equipment and support services, as well as more than 7000 Australian Defence Force personnel helping with search and rescue, clean-up and recovery.
SEE HOW THE BUDGET WILL IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY
ROADS
Millions of dollars in rail and road infrastructure funding has been revealed by Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in tonight’s budget — as part of the Federal Government’s “strengthening our regions” plan.
More than $350 million in funding was secured for the Milton to Ulladulla Bypass, along with
$336.0 million to expand the Pacific Hwy at the Wyong Town Centre from single lanes to a dual carriageway.
The Newell Hwy’s heavy duty pavement upgrades at North Moree will receive $264 million, while $232.5 million will be dedicated to Mulgoa Rd’s Stage 2 at Glenmore Parkway to Jeanette St, Stage 5A at Blaikie Rd to Jamison Rd and Stage 5b at Jamison Rd to Union Rd.
The Southern Connector Rd in Jindabyne will get $100 million, with $95.6 million secured for Picton Bypass and Picton Rd and $75 million for upgrades on the Wakehurst Parkway at Frenchs Forest in Sydney’s north.
The Hume Hwy intersection upgrade at Moorebank Ave on the M5 will receive $65 million, with $51.2 million for the Central Coast Hwy at Tumbi Rd, $30 million for the Tenterfield to Newcastle corridor upgrade and $25 million for Richmond Rd’s Stage 1 at Elara Blvd to Heritage Rd in Marsden Park.
Partial funding for this measure has already been provided for and was part of a budget commitment announced in 2021.
The government is also extending the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program until 2024-25, providing $501.7 million for local councils to maintain and deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia.
Major projects in planning, underway or under construction include the continued expansion of WestConnex at a cost of $1.5 billion, the Coffs Harbour Bypass at a cost of $1.5 billion, the Newell Highway Upgrade and Parkes Bypass at $150 million and the Heathcote Road Upgrade from Hammondville to Voyager Point at $94 million.
In the ACT, the government will provide $51 million from 2022 to 2023 to fund priority road projects which will support economic recovery and jobs.
Funding includes $46.7 million for the Athllon Dr duplication, $2.8 million for Kent St and Novar St intersection upgrades and $1.5 million for the Inner Canberra Corridor Planning Package.
RAIL
The government has made a record $120 billion dollar investment in its 10-year infrastructure pipeline, with another $17.9 billion committed to road, rail and community infrastructure projects across the nation.
Investments in NSW include $1 billion for the Sydney to Newcastle and Tuggerah to Wyong faster rail upgrade and $77.5 million for the Sydney Metro’s Western Sydney Airport business case.
“These commitments build on over 35,000 infrastructure projects that have been completed since 2013-14 and are expected to support around 40,000 jobs over the lives of these projects,” the budget papers state.
INFRASTRUCTURE
More than $7 billion will be splashed on infrastructure across Australia to “push into new frontiers of growth and production”.
There will be a focus on four key regions as Australia’s export frontiers which are also poised for major growth that will boost national prosperity, including the Hunter Region which will receive $750 million for transport and port infrastructure projects that improve supply chain efficiency and boost exports.
The government will also provide a further $139.9 million over three years from 2021 onwards to continue investments to sustain the Murray-Darling Basin by improving river health, enhancing environmental outcomes and stimulating economic activity in surrounding communities.
The funding includes $97 million over two years from 2022 for community-driven infrastructure projects to improve river health, promote agricultural productivity, and support adaptation to changing water demands as well as $35.1 million over three years to deliver environmental water to high value ecosystems in the Edward-Wakool region.
The government has also allocated $3.2 million over two years from 2022 to improve water compliance and $2.1 million to create a water market reform road map which will improve governance of Basin water markets.
The government has further committed to building a new submarine base on Australia’s east coast to support incoming nuclear-powered submarines, with Brisbane, Newcastle and Port Kembla identified as the preferred sites.
A $25.2 million investment over two years from 2022 will help maintain appropriate oversight and environmental management at Commonwealth-leased airports to ensure compliance with regulations.
The funding includes $16.3 million over 2 years from 2022 to support airport building control services, including during peak construction at Western Sydney Airport, and $8.9 million over two years from 2022 to continue to support airport compliance with environmental standards.
Another $67.7 million over three years from 2022 will deliver new projects supporting local communities across Australia, including $12.5 million towards the Centre of Excellence in Vision and Hearing in NSW and $8 million towards the Scone CBD revitalisation.
The Dungowan Dam and Pipeline will receive $433 million from a $6.9 billion water infrastructure project investment designed to develop regional communities which was announced in 2021.
Funding to enhance capacity and improve infrastructure in Sydney’s western suburbs will include $147.9 million for the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.
“The Australian Government is also providing funding under the Western Sydney City Deal to deliver improved community facilities and urban amenities, and to cut development costs and boost housing supply, with $14.9 million secured for 2022 to 2023,” the budget papers state.
The Australian Government will also provide an additional $83.2 million over five years from 2022 to support projects under the Albury Wodonga Regional Deal.
The deal will unlock economic benefits and opportunities in the region, with Victoria to receive $12.5 million for Wodonga and NSW to receive $7.5 million for Albury.
No further funding has been committed to establishing mobile and internet connectivity along the train route between Hornsby and Wyong, with $2 million committed in 2021 and nothing in 2022.
COST OF LIVING
The government will also re-profile existing funding provided to Indigenous Business Australia for regional housing construction loans as part of the Indigenous Home Ownership Program.
The program has more than $100 million available to support new loans which boost housing construction, create jobs and increase rates of Indigenous home ownership in regional Australia.
The cash splash will come at a cost of $7.7 million over 5 years from 2021-22.
FLOOD RECOVERY
The government will provide significant support for NSW and QLD communities pummelled by the February and March 2022 floods.
The funding includes:
• two additional payments of the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) to residents in catastrophically impacted areas, with an estimated cost of $245 million
• $150 million in 2021-22 from the Emergency Response Fund shared between NSW and QLD to fund recovery and post-disaster resilience measures in areas that experienced significant damage to, or destruction of, their infrastructure
• $150 million in 2022-23 from the Emergency Response Fund to fund recovery and post-disaster resilience measures in the Northern Rivers region of NSW
• $31.2 million over two years from 2021-22 to meet the increased demand and support for the mental health of residents in flood affected areas through the recovery process
• $25 million to provide additional funding for emergency relief, food relief and financial counselling for communities affected by the floods in NSW and QLD
• $22.1 million over two years from 2021-22 to increase the Community Child Care Fund
Special Circumstances grant to assist services experiencing financial viability issues resulting from the recent floods and the COVID-19 pandemic
• $10.4 million over two years from 2021-22 to engage CSIRO to identify options and opportunities for mitigating risk and building resilience in the Northern Rivers, including options that could be funded from the $150 million being provided from the Emergency Response Fund in 2022-23
• $10 million over four years from 2022-23 to support the mental health of school-aged children in the Northern Rivers region affected by recent floods
• $7 million in 2022-23 to expand the Strengthening Business service to provide recovery and resilience advice services in the most flood affected regions
• $6.9 million in 2021-22 to provide Business Continuity Payments of $10,000 to early childhood education services in flood affected locations that close for seven days or longer
• $5.4 million over two years from 2021-22 to existing legal assistance services operating within QLD and NSW to support flood affected individuals, small businesses and primary producers to access timely legal assistance as required
• $4.7 million over two years from 2021-22 to support primary health care services for flood impacted regions, including emergency response teams, additional workforce capacity and a shared temporary business premises in or near Lismore for displaced local primary health care providers to ensure continuity of access to healthcare for the community
• $3 million in 2022-23 to improve the reliability of the Flood Warning Observations Network to ensure network gauges and equipment, telecommunications, data storage and display facilities are accurate, timely and dependable in Australia’s highest risk areas
• $1.7 million over two years from 2021-22 for the National Resource Sharing Centre to enhance disaster response co-ordination and facilitate shared resources between jurisdictions to prepare and respond to disasters of national significance
• $800,000 in 2023 to expand the Regional Small Business Support program to support flood impacted small businesses in northern NSW and southern Queensland through to June 30 2023
The government will also jointly fund an estimated $2 billion in support measures for flood affected primary producers, small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and councils, as well as clean up, mental health and temporary accommodation measures.
The funding will be split between the NSW and QLD Governments and comes in addition to other as yet unquantifiable support to be provided through DRFA for personal assistance measures and rebuilding of essential public infrastructure damaged by the floods.
The 2022-23 Budget includes a further provision of $3 billion over the forward estimates to accommodate additional expenditure on the floods response in NSW and QLD, including for demand-driven disaster recovery payments.
In addition, an estimated $1.75 billion in assistance is expected to be provided through AGDRP and the DRA.
COVID-19 AND HEALTH
The government has committed to securing additional Covid-19 treatment doses to protect vulnerable Australians at most risk of severe disease. The government’s direct investment will now come to more than a million treatment courses.
The government is also investing in transmission prevention and testing to contain outbreaks in high-risk settings.
“Already, the Government has distributed over 161 million units of PPE and over 26.2 million RATs to aged care facilities,” budget papers state.
“To assist Australians with a disability to monitor for COVID-19 and manage transmission risks, the Government is providing 5.5 million RATs to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Supported Independent Living residents and workers.”
Targeted support for health and vaccination services for rural and remote Indigenous Communities, who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, is also being extended at a cost of $43.3 million.
The government will also ensure the costs of taking a COVID-19 test to attend work are tax deductible for individuals from July 2021, while fringe benefits tax will not be incurred by businesses who provide Covid-19 tests to employees for them to attend work.
The budget will also invest $150.3 million to support medical training in regional and rural Australia, so Australians in geographically isolated rural and remote locations can equally access the nation’s world-class health system.
“The government is also continuing its support for aeromedical services for rural and remote communities, providing over $55 million to support the operation of service providers,” budget papers state.
The government will further provide $224.4 million over four years from 2022 to improve access to health services and support doctors delivering primary care in rural and remote Australia.
The funding includes $14.8 million over four years from 2022 to support Charles Sturt University to deliver a rural clinical school.
The government has also committed $547 million over five years from 2021-22 to provide mental health Stage 2 reforms through the five pillars of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan.
The pillars include Prevention and Early Intervention, Suicide Prevention, Treatment, Supporting Vulnerable Australians and Workforce and Governance.
The funding includes $76.4 million over five years from 2021-22 for prevention and early intervention activities and $52.3 million over four years from 2022-23 for Lifeline to provide mental health support.
Another $9.7 million over three years from 2022-23 will fund nationally consistent mechanisms to better manage mental health and wellbeing concerns in schools, such as national guidelines for the accreditation of mental health and wellbeing programs and trauma informed professional development support for teachers.
A further $3.9 million over three years from 2022-23 will go to innovative, evidence based mental health and suicide prevention research activities, along with $3.3 million over two years from 2021-22 to fund early intervention and prevention mentoring programs for ‘at risk’ Year 8 students at public secondary schools.
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