NSW Budget 2023-24Highlights for Ballina Shire and our region

The NSW Budget 2023-24, released on Tuesday 19 September, has outlined several key projects and funding for Ballina Shire and the Northern Rivers region.

Relocation of Lennox Head Public School and planning for the redevelopment of Ballina District Hospital are included in the budget.

Other highlights for our shire and the Northern Rivers region include:

• $70 million to continue to repair and replace food-damaged housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• $60 million to support Build to Rent trials in the South Coast and Northern Rivers NSW.

• $312.8 million Lismore Hospital Redevelopment Stages 3A, 3B, and 3C.

• $390 million to establish the Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund to support regional councils in managing existing roads, particularly those damaged by natural disasters.

• $334 million to establish the Regional Roads Fund to build new roads in rural and regional areas.

• $350 million for a new Regional Development Trust Fund to improve local amenities, social cohesion, and job opportunities.

• $100 million from the new Housing Infrastructure Fund to deliver infrastructure projects in regional New South Wales to unlock housing supply. While support outlined in the budget is welcomed, Ballina Shire Council was disappointed to see that the Regional Road Transfer and NSW Road Classifcation program has been discontinued.

“The NSW Government proposed to reclassify parts of the local road network as state roads. The purpose of this process was to assist councils as the transfer meant the State Government would be responsible for the funding for these roads,” explained Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader.

“Council was supportive of this approach and had identifed several signifcant roads in Ballina Shire that met the qualifcation criteria. Accordingly, we had an expectation that these roads would in time be reclassifed.

“Council faces signifcant challenges to maintain, renew and upgrade our local road network and the State Government should seek to further assist councils if it no longer intends to reclassify the proposed roads.”

For more details of the NSW Budget 2023-24 visit www. budget.nsw.gov.au