NSW election: ribbon duty to help Premier Gladys Berejiklian cut through

Gladys Berejiklian will be able to cut the ribbons on at least five major infrastructure projects set to be completed this year.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on the new Sydney Metro North West train. Picture: Toby Zerna

Gladys Berejiklian will be able to cut the ribbons on at least five major infrastructure projects set to be completed this year, which will boost her government’s stocks as she tries to manage a parliament with precarious numbers.

The Liberal leader has vowed to lavish $52.9 billion on road and transport projects over the next four years, helping her to clinch a historic victory as NSW’s first popularly elected female premier.

The spending comes on top of $58.3bn the Coalition has already ploughed into infrastructure projects — many of which will finally come to fruition this term.

The new $360 million Western Sydney Stadium, which will seat 30,000 people under cover, will be the first of these, opening its doors in Parramatta next month.

The following month, the ­Sydney Metro Northwest rail link is due to begin its first services. Commuters will be able to ride on new, driverless trains to the city’s rapidly growing northwestern suburbs.

The opening of the project will provide another opportunity for the government to spruik a project delivered $1bn under budget at a cost of about $7.3bn.

As counting continued yesterday in key seats, it appeared Ms Berejiklian would be returned to government with the slimmest of majorities. The ribbon-cutting ceremonies, which will continue throughout the next four-year term, will allow the Premier to drive home her message that the state can have it all — stadiums, roads, hospitals and services.

The WestConnex M4 East tunnel, linking Haberfield in the inner west with Homebush in the west is also due to be completed this year. The $16.8bn WestConnex project has sparked anger among some sections of the community because of its hefty price tag, loss of homes and environmental impact.

However, the M4 East tunnel should help to ease gridlock on Sydney’s Parramatta Road and once other parts of the project come online it might help to mollify some of the concerns.

The new M5 tunnels from Kingsgrove to St Peters, another part of the mega road project, are set to open early next year. Finishing touches on other parts of WestConnex, including the M4-M5 link tunnels, are due in 2023.

The controversial Sydney Light Rail, which has been besieged by delays and cost blowouts, is also due to finally bear fruit. The project, due to begin services at the end of the year, will stretch from Circular Quay in the centre of Sydney to Randwick in the eastern suburbs.

Small businesses that have struggled during the light rail construction process, might finally be able to get back on their feet.

The $3bn NorthConnex tunnel, which will link the Pacific ­motorway at Wahroonga with the M2 at West Pennant Hills is also due to be completed next year.

The tunnel will help to ease traffic on another of Sydney’s worst bottlenecks, the congested Pennant Hills Road.

The government has also ­earmarked billons of dollars to ­upgrade and build new hospitals across Sydney and the rest of the state.

In the middle of this year, ­upgrades to the Blacktown Hospital in Sydney’s west will be ­completed.

This will include a new emergency department and intensive-care unit, and a new multi-storey carpark.

However, many will look like a battle zone for much of the next term — including the hospital precinct at Westmead, in Sydney’s west, where a $1bn upgrade is not due to be completed before 2022.