Please quote Ehssan Veiszadeh, Deputy CEO of the Committee for Sydney:

“There’s a lot to like about this budget.

The focus on boosting female workforce participation and early childhood education is a landmark for NSW as we emerge from the pandemic.

We love the targeted investment in innovation and economic precincts across the city, including Westmead, Bradfield, Gosford and Tech Central, which will be crucial for the city’s next stage of growth.

We welcome government’s move to expand Western Sydney Airport Metro from Bradfield to Glenfield. This is an important first step towards better connecting western Sydney to itself.

Despite the government’s ambition to do big things, we are facing a significant inflation challenge, labour shortages and the threat of another Covid-19 variant.

There is some reform on offer, but NSW is still waiting for Commonwealth support to fully remove its most regressive tax, stamp duty.

The budget includes money for Fast Rail but falls well short of the billions needed to get the project done.

It certainly includes more money for the state’s overall infrastructure program, but much of that appears to be making up for Covid-19 delays and cost blowouts.

The truth is, this budget is a big reminder of the economic headwinds our state faces.

The Treasurer is right to highlight the importance of investing in people, but people across Sydney desperately need effective public transport, especially a built out Metro network. It’s not one or the other, we need both.” 

Read the full policy statement here: NSW Budget 2022: Big reminder of the economic headwinds facing our state.