Labor has one simple campaign message for NSW, and Gladys Berejiklian is working to torpedo it

Labor’s single, simple message in the NSW election campaign is everywhere, including on a big red bus. But there’s just one problem.

With just days to go until New South Wales heads to the polls, Gladys Berejiklian is working to torpedo Labor’s singular campaign message.

Opposition Leader Michael Daley has been travelling the state in a red bus with a simple pledge painted on the side: “Schools and hospitals before stadiums.”

The Labor Party has seized on anger and confusion about the $2 billion plan to demolish and rebuild Allianz Stadium at Moore Park and refurbish ANZ Stadium at Olympic Park.

Mr Daley says it’s the perfect illustration the Premier’s priorities are all wrong.

“Under Labor, schools and hospitals will come first — the March 23 election should be a referendum on the demolition of this stadium,” Mr Daley said.

But for Ms Berejiklian and her government, the rebuttal is simple — rather than stadiums or schools and hospitals, why not all of the above?

“There isn’t a particular community in NSW that can’t look around and think, wow, I’m getting a new school or a new hospital, the roads are being improved, there are extra public transport concessions,” Ms Berejiklian told news.com.au.

“If you have a strong government running a strong budget, (you can) build record amounts of schools and hospitals, roads and rail, but we need to make sure we don’t fall behind in our cultural institutions and sporting infrastructure.”

The Labor Party campaign bus is emblazoned with Michael Daley’s single and simple pitch. Picture: Nathan Edwards

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is pushing her government’s health and education spending in addition to billions of dollars in commitments. Picture: AAP

The Liberal-National Coalition government has made a slew of education and health commitments during the election campaign.

But the Premier insists it follows a “record of delivery” since taking office.

“The government has a strong track record when it comes to delivering new and upgraded hospitals and health facilities,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We have already delivered more than 100 new projects and have 100 more underway across the state.

“And we know, the best hospitals and health facilities are only as good as the people who work there, which is why we are also employing an additional 5000 nurses, more than 1000 doctors and more than 2000 other health professionals to provide patients with the best possible care.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian meeting young families at Royal North Shore Hospital. Picture: Adam Yip

Should it win the election, the government has committed to build and upgrade 29 more hospitals and health facilities over the next term, bringing total health infrastructure spend to $8.4 billion over four years.

Among the biggest projects is the new $1.3 billion Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, an extra $619 million for upgrades to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, $780 million to redevelop John Hunter Hospital and $385 million to upgrade St George Hospital.

Ms Berejiklian said a program of works would be rolled out to improve regional health facilities, including a $215 million redevelopment of Griffith Base Hospital, $100 million for Manning Base Hospital and $53 million for a redevelopment of Gunnedah Hospital.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been touting her government’s investment in health services and committed billions more for infrastructure, service expansion and staffing. Picture: Monique Harmer

Ms Berejiklian said the government was also overseeing the “largest investment in public schools infrastructure by any state government in history”.

The $6.5 billion spend over the next four years will fund major projects at 190 schools.

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals are already investing more on school infrastructure

over the next four years than Labor spent in their last 14 years,” she said.

NSW Labor leader Michael Daley waves to the crowd during the NSW Labor Party election campaign launch. Picture: AAP

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also spoken of her government’s education investment. Picture: David Swift.

The government has also committed to hiring an extra 4600 teachers for the public school system — a $2 billion spend.

Once again, Ms Berejiklian said the investment dwarfed that of Labor when it was last in office. It brings the number of new full-time teaching positions funded since the Coalition took government to 11,000.

Labor hired 1000 new teachers in its last five years in office. It also closed 90 schools, Ms Berejiklian said.

Demolition underway at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. Michael Daley demanded Premier Gladys Berejiklian halted works until the state election. Picture: AAP

Education Minister Rob Stokes with students from Mulgoa Public School in Sydney's west. Picture: David Swift.

Other major education commitments include $120 million to fund before and after school care at public primary schools by 2021 and $1.2 billion to clear the school maintenance backlog.

Ms Berejiklian said a $88 million commitment would provide mental health support programs in every high school, including a dedicated full-time school counsellor or psychologist.

Among Mr Daley’s education commitments so far is free TAFE for more than 600,000 students over the coming decade, building 60 new schools and increasing early childhood education availability.

On health, Labor has committed to employ 5500 more nurses and midwives and 1500 extra paramedics in addition to a range of hospital infrastructure projects, including a new North West Public Hospital.

NSW goes to the polls this Saturday, March 23.