Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This budget is fantastic news for my electorate of Robertson on the Central Coast because, for the first time in more than a decade, we are back in the black. The budget is back in surplus. After more than a decade of deficits, this budget forecasts, as surplus, $7.1 billion in 2019-20. That's a $55.5 billion turnaround. This is important for people in my electorate of Robertson and for people right across the Central Coast, because it means we can pay for the projects we need to see our region continue to grow.

The budget backs our Central Coast commuters with $35 million for fully funded and properly costed commuter car parking at Gosford and Woy Woy. This investment will build 600 new car parks. It was always our idea for our hardworking commuters in Gosford, and it will provide an additional 140 spaces in Woy Woy—fully costed, fully funded and backed by a petition of close to two years in the making. Our commuters leave early each morning and arrive home late, and this budget is making sure they can spend more time with family and less time trying to find a park at the station.

The budget is investing in the world-class community and sporting infrastructure we need, with $8.25 million to upgrade the Peninsula Recreation Precinct. This is a fantastic project that is investing in quality youth and sporting infrastructure on the peninsula. Because of the choices that our government has made, because of our plan for a stronger economy, we are also able to upgrade the amenity block at Rodgers Park in Woy Woy with $800,000. This is a project that the Southern Spirit Cricket Club, the Peninsula Swans AFL, the Woy Woy Junior Rugby League Football Club and Peninsula Touch have been crying out for for too long.

It means we can invest in smaller but equally important projects to my community, like upgrading the play equipment at Pinyari Park in Kincumber. This is a project that means so much to families who live around the park. I want to pay special tribute to 11-year-old Nina, who brought this matter to my attention and helped me start a community petition. It means that Woy Woy Oval can finally get the scoreboard they need to complete the redevelopment of this important facility.

The budget also invests in health care on the Central Coast, including funding of $3.8 million for a new linear accelerator machine for the cancer centre in Gosford, making sure that local people who are undergoing radiotherapy treatment for cancer can get the very best care without going on a waiting list or having to travel. We've invested in a pilot program called Health on the Streets, run by Central Coast Primary Care, and that's not all. We're delivering further tax relief for hardworking Australians. We're backing the 18,000 small businesses on the Central Coast by increasing the instant asset write-off to $30,000. There's record funding for local schools and record health spending, including for the Central Coast, where our bulk-billing rate is already at a record high of 87 per cent. This is all possible because of our plan to build an even stronger economy— (Time expired)

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