BY OLIVIA DILLON
There's concerns the Hunter is not reaping the rewards of it's major representation in NSW Cabinet, following the release of the state government's budget today.
The Newcastle Herald reports Sydney is mentioned 22 times in the overview of Labor's first budget in 13 years, but Newcastle and the Hunter are not mentioned once.
It's also understood no major funding has been committed for the major redevelopment being planned for Broadmeadow.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said during a media conference in Sydney today, planning for the Hunter Park project is ongoing, and confirmed the scandal surrounding former Minister for the Hunter Tim Crakanthorp, has not affected the government's commitment to it.
Meantime, it seems public servants in the Hunter are the big winners of the budget, with funding confirmed for their wage increases.
The Minns government has set aside $3.6 billion to fund pay rises for nurses, paramedics, teachers, prison officers, police, and childcare workers, and will spend $572 million on making more than 1,000 pandemic nurses and midwives permanent.
It's expected the budget will spark backlash from the Opposition, with a number of Coalition-led initiatives being either scrapped or cut back, including the Active and Creative Kids Vouchers, which will be lowered, and the Regional Senior's Travel Card, which will be dumped.
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| Image: NSW Government |
