Three Central West MPs have become involved in a fight over state government funding.
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State government ministers Paul Toole (Bathurst) and Troy Grant (Dubbo) have hit back at claims by the member for Orange Phil Donato of a Sydney-centric bias in the government.
Mr Donato said the state government’s funding approach negatively impacted rural and regional areas.
The debate began after Opposition leader Michael Daley said in Parliament the state government was “ripping off regional NSW by failing to meet the 30 per cent requirement for Restart NSW infrastructure spending to go to regional NSW.”
Mr Daley said the government spent only 17 per cent of funds in 2017-18, 14 per cent in 2016-17, 10 per cent in 2015-16 and 25 per cent in 2014-15 from the fund in regional areas.
However, according to the state government, more than $32.9 billion had been deposited into the Restart NSW fund since 2011 and $22.4 billion had been committed to infrastructure projects and programs across NSW by the end of June 2018.
Data showed the Central West and Orana region was the biggest beneficiary.
The government committed $251.8 million for 113 projects in the region including the Orange Airport runway upgrade ($1.46 million), Orange to Blayney Pipeline stage one ($21.21 million) and Orange to Molong Pipeline stage one ($16.67 million).
Mr Donato said more funding was needed.
“There are a number of important infrastructure projects in Orange, and the Orange electorate more broadly, which need the funding to be delivered so that the benefits will be realised by our community,” he said.
Mr Grant said the government was honouring its funding commitment with investment in regional NSW.
“In the 2018/19 state budget, the Restart NSW Fund had a balance of $32.9 billion, with $9.5 billion or 29 per cent of the fund, already reserved for projects in regional NSW,” he said.
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“More than two-thirds of jobs created in the past year have been in regional NSW and we still have more room to grow.”
Mr Toole said the government was “committed to regional NSW.”
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