MINNS TAKES ILLAWARRA FOR GRANTED

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward has slammed Premier Chris Minns’s ‘Look at me, look at me’ visit to the Illawarra, with no new funding, no new projects or no real engagement with the local community.

“No new projects, no new announcements, just a big load of nothing for our region from this Premier and his do-nothing government. This visit was a total waste of time whilst people feel worse off than they did two years ago,” Mr Ward said.

“God forbid the Premier should meet with any real people who want to raise real issues about our region and its future. He was too sacred to come south of Shellharbour!

“There was no explanation for the outrageous delays to projects like the Dapto access ramps, no comment on the government’s failure to deliver a helipad or maternity service at the $780 million new Shellharbour Hospital.

“Whilst Labor said the East Nowra Sub Arterial would start ‘on day one’, no comment on why this project won’t commence until after the State Election, no comment on their failure to commence the Nowra bypass, the Milton-Ulladulla Bypass, a new school for Worrigee or promised service improvements at Milton Hospital.

“After almost two years, Minns and Labor have seen housing approvals fall to a 12-year low, rents are up nearly 10%, hospital wait times are the worst in 14 years, business insolvencies are up over 40% and cost-of-living pressures continue to rise.

“Whilst Minns and Labor promised a fresh start, the Illawarra and South Coast has gotten a false start,” Mr Ward concluded.