“After three years repairing Labor’s mess, the NSW Budget is powerfully positioned to deliver the services people are right to expect,” Ms Goward said.

Local projects to be funded in the budget include:

·         Upgrade Bowral Public School to include six new classrooms, staff amenities, covered walkways, and outdoor learning areas, all designed to reduce the school’s reliance on demountables while expanding outdoor play areas (with the value to be determined after a tender process)

·         Four new school crossing supervisors for primary schools

·         $100,000 additional funding for the Community Building Partnership program

·         $929,000 for Southern Highlands Community Transport

·         $282,000 for Goulburn Community Transport

·         $80,000 to continue planning of the upgrade to the Bowral Police Station

·         $3.4 million for repairs to the Hume Motorway

·         $480,000 for repairs to the Old Hume Highway at Goulburn

·         $523,000 for grants to local councils for regional roads

·         $2.5 million for rebuilding and resurfacing Goulburn-Braidwood Road at various locations

·         $4.5 million for the replacement of Lansdowne Bridge over Mulwaree River on Bungonia Road south of Goulburn

·         $1.8 million for the replacement of Oallen Ford Bridge over Shoalhaven River by Goulburn Mulwaree Council

·         $434,000 to begin construction on the $1.5 million HealthOne in Yass

·         $200,000 for completion of a new co-located group home in Goulburn

·         $1 million for construction of a 5 bedroom group home in Goulburn

·         $250,000 for commencement of a group home in Goulburn

·         $600,000 for completion of a 5 bedroom group home in Goulburn.

More generally, Ms Goward said farm communities and the Rural Fire Service were set to benefit from the budget.

“The Government has also committed to an extra $31.8 million in funding over four years to improve Rural Fire Service public information systems, expand its Rapid Aerial Response capability, enhance bushfire behaviour analysis, and for other community safety programs,” she said.

“In addition, $13 million will be allocated to supporting farmers and regional communities of drought assistance measures.

Other budget items include reductions to WorkCover premiums, with employers to receive an average premium rate reduction of five per cent.

“This is on top of the average 12.5 per cent rate reductions delivered in 2013,” Ms Goward said.

“We’re also providing $100,000 in additional funding for Goulburn through the Community Building Partnership program. This will allow more community groups and councils to receive funding that will provide positive social, recreational and environmental outcomes in the local community.”

Applications can be made at www.communitybuildingpartnership.nsw.gov.au and close Friday 18 July.

Ms Goward believes NSW has once again “become the powerhouse of the nation.”

“When we came to office in 2011 – NSW lagged on all economic fronts,” she said.

“We were lagging on jobs growth, productivity, housing approvals and business confidence. NSW is now growing three times the rate of Queensland and Victoria, housing approvals are at their highest levels in over a decade and the unemployment rate is the second lowest in the nation.

“This is good for local businesses in our community and economy. It means more jobs, more growth, more housing starts in our region.

“Earlier this year I announced $600,000 to progress planning for Goulburn Hospital’s upgrade to deliver a first class facility.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues to deliver for our community and NSW and ensure that our region gets its fair share of the $6 billion infrastructure fund that will come from the proposed long-term lease of 49 per cent of the State’s electricity distribution and transmission businesses.

“The proposal will see the release of up to $20 billion for new infrastructure investment in NSW of which 30 per cent, or approximately $6 billion, will be spent in regional NSW to ensure we continue to rebuild NSW.”