After years in opposition, NSW Labor handed down its first budget in more than a decade on September 19.
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Treasurer Daniel Mookhey described it as "the beginning of a new age of public investment", with the budget treading a fine line between curbing debt and delivering relief amid rising living costs.
Last year there was a deficit of $10.1 billion, while the projection for this year is $7.8 billion.
Labor also had to fund its own election promises in areas like roads, health and education.
Here's what was listed specifically for the Central West.
- An additional $50 million for the Parkes National Freight and Logistics Hub,
- $127.5 million to develop projects to improve freight rail on the Main Western Line,
- $187.2 million for duplication on the Little Hartley to Lithgow section of the Great Western Highway at Cox's River Road.
- $20 million for the New Serengeti Plains Visitor Experience in Dubbo, and
- $2 million for flood mitigation solutions on the Newell Highway.
In terms of losses, the Great Western Highway Upgrade has been deferred and the Fast Rail from Sydney to Central West initiative has been handed over to the Commonwealth Government - they're the big two.
But Orange hasn't missed out entirely, and here's a bit of a rundown on what will be heading our way out of the budget.
Orange
Some of the noteworthy inclusions in the budget that relate to the Orange electorate are below.
A further 251 teachers and support staff will be made permanent in schools across the Orange electorate, while there's $500 fee relief for three-year-olds in long day care services across the city.
Across NSW, 1112 nurse and midwife positions have been made permanent. While 1200 new nurses are on the way, making for better hospital staffing across NSW. Given Orange has the biggest hospital in the region, more staff on the ground will be welcome.
There's also $117.9m in the can for Orange Base Hospital maintenance.
While 500 extra rural and regional paramedics are also in the budget.
There's also wage hikes for 7046 public employees in Orange electorate.
There is $17.5 million in the budget for road repairs in Cabonne, Forbes, Orange, and Parkes.
There's $5m to start planning for Bells Line of Road enhancement, too.
Energy bill relief for around 11,710 households in the electorate.
Almost $300m - $298.5m to be exact - has been set aside for biosecurity and agriculture.
While, Member for Orange described the establishment of the $350m NSW Regional Development Trust Fund as "a milestone".
An additional $100m for Regional NSW Housing Infrastructure Fund from Restart NSW is also significant.
Business
Key business measures announced in the budget:
- NSW Business Bureau - The Government restated its commitment to establish a new agency to improve small business engagement with government regulation, procurement tendering and grants application processes.
- $112m for a thorough VET review and additional funding to fund the TAFE funding shortfall.
- $28.5 million to develop and grow the early childhood education workforce
- $4.9b to build 43 schools and upgrading a further 86, which will be built by NSW businesses.
- $300 million in re-invested dividends to enable Landcom to deliver an additional 1409 affordable homes and 3288 market homes to 2039-2040.
- Permanently expanding the number of social housing dwellings by around 1500 through the $610 million Commonwealth Social Housing Accelerator.
- $224 million Essential Housing Package to accelerate delivery of social, affordable and private homes, continue to provide housing services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, support critical social housing maintenance and provide homelessness support measures.
- $5.6 million for a planning system artificial intelligence pilot to deliver efficiencies.
- $350 million in establishment of Regional Development Trust Fund to invest in critical projects to grow regions.
- $390 million in regional emergency road repair fund.
- $334 million in regional roads fund.
- $3.8 billion in regional health facilities.
- Incentive payments for healthcare workers moving to regional and remote areas increased from $10,000 to $20,000.
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