NSW Budget: New Westmead primary school, Parramatta Light Rail stage two

New schools to alleviate the pressure of booming populations long-awaited funds for a light rail are to provide some budget relief for Parramatta.

The State Government has allocated $5.4 million for a new school at Westmead three years after it was announced but pressure to name a specific location and timeline for the project linger.

A $13 million education campus is also earmarked for Rydalmere and $3 million was allocated for the second stage of Sydney Olympic Park High School and $2.1 million was allocated for stage two of Wentworth Point Public School in Tuesday’s State Budget.

A total of $5.4 million was allocated for the Westmead South Public School, three years after the government announced it in June 2018, to alleviate strain on Westmead Public — the state’s largest government primary school with more than 1600 students.

Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn said the funding was a win for families but they were left wondering when the project would be delivered after the government “refused’’ to provide a timeline for construction”.

“The government has finally come to the party and acknowledged the need for a new school, which is a win of sorts,’’ Ms Finn said.

“However it’s frustrating for local families to not have answers from the NSW Liberal/National Government about when or where their promised new school will be completed.

“Families shouldn’t be left in the dark about the details of projects in their own community.”

The Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has been contacted for comment.

Westmead Public School is bursting at the seems. Picture: Monique Harmer

Elsewhere in the Budget, the long-awaited stage two of the Parramatta Light Rail has been given the green light with a $50 million allocation in the State Budget.

Despite Transport Minister Andrew Constance indicating in November that the project would be dumped, the figure has pleased residents and business leaders.

State one of the 12km, $2.4 billion light rail connecting Westmead to Carlingford has been maligned thanks to causing business upheaval along the Church St dining strip, but the second stage has been more welcome to serve the booming communities of Ermington, Melrose Park, Wentworth Point and Sydney Olympic Park.

A total of $12.0 billion for the Metro West was also allocated over the next four years.

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger gave the budget the thumbs up for delivering on key commitments for the region.

“The funding for Sydney Metro West is vitally important to get this project under way and hopefully operational by 2030 to continue to drive private sector investment in Parramatta and Westmead, and better connect Sydney Olympic Park to the east and west.

After years of lobbying the chamber applauded the government’s decision to get the ball rolling on the planning approval process for the stage two.

“The business community applauds the NSW Government’s decision to get the ball rolling on the planning approval process for Parramatta Light Rail stage two,’’ he said.

“We will be looking forward to the big funding announcements for this critical project for the heart of western Sydney in coming budgets.’’

A health boost is also under way, with a $126 million over four years to build a NSW Ambulance state operations centre at Sydney Olympic Park, which will also house the 000 call centre.

The centre is part of a $1.4 billion allocated for NSW Ambulance.

“Relocating to modern headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park will vastly improve the working environment for NSW Ambulance paramedics and triple 0 call takers, who manage more than 1.2million calls a year,’’ Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.

Funding of $156.2 million was locked in for the Powerhouse Parramatta project, as part of the $840 million total government project.

“The new museum is about providing equity for the families of NSW who are out of reach of the large cultural institutions in the Sydney CBD,’’ Mr Borger said.

But Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou slammed the budget for “neglecting’’ health care needs such as palliative care funding for Westmead Hospital.

“It’s devastating and outrageous to see that Cumberland City Council residents have been neglected in state health funding again,’’ he said.

“The Health Minister and Treasurer bragged about a ‘record $30.2 billion for health care’, yet we’ll see a paltry amount. Their ‘commitment to ensuring world-class health services’ is a joke.

“It’s pathetic and poor planning that the recurrent funding for the NSW public health system has increased by almost $11.7 billion, yet western Sydney has come out as the poor cousin. “Cumberland City Council is home to low socio economic communities, vulnerable people and diverse communities, so better health funding is essential.’’

In May, the mayor started a petition calling for the reinstatement of a palliative care unit at Westmead Hospital. The petition closes on June 25.

Prospect state Labor MP Hugh McDermott labelled the budget disappointing for failing to prioritise funding for western Sydney.

“The electorate of Prospect is in dire need of funding to better resource its schools and health care,’’ he said.

“Westmead Hospital desperately needs a dedicated palliative care ward. Experts fear

that the announced funding for palliative care will be lost in the budget of local health

districts.’’

He said the government only pledged recurrent funding for schools in the Prospect electorate with no additional funding for classsrooms or teachers.

“Thousands of children are crammed in demountables, while schools in Sydney’s north

and east take precedence,’’ he said.

“It should not matter whether you live. Families should have equal access to well-

resourced health and education services. Your postcode should not determine your

opportunities.”

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