NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian has hosed down concerns about Albury missing out on its share of infrastructure funding compared to other NSW regional centres.
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Speaking before a meeting with Albury Council about an imbalance in government spending on Monday, Ms Berejiklian refuted the city was missing out and Albury MLA Greg Aplin was keeping the NSW government informed about the city's requirements.
She said Albury and the wider electorate would benefit from future windfalls from the “poles and wires” asset recycling program.
“Since we’ve come to government this area, Albury in particular, has received hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars of state government support and that will continue,” she said.
“We’ve got a huge infrastructure program across the state and a third of that will be going into rural and regional NSW and Albury will of course get its fair share.
“Of course there is always more to do, but the level of business confidence and business investment in Albury and the broader district is really unprecedented.”
But data released recently showed Albury was lagging behind Wagga, Tamworth and other centres in funding received over the last five years.
But Mr Aplin has disputed Albury received only $22.7 million compared to Wagga’s $385 million and Tamworth’s $351 million.
The Wagga hospital upgrade attracted $215 million from the NSW government.
The Albury MLA was also critical of the council for the quality of its funding submissions.
The council declined to comment after a mid-afternoon meeting with Ms Berejiklian.
The treasurer said all levels of government should “aspire” to work together in attracting funding.
“In Greg Aplin you have a local MP who is not only persistent, but well connected on the ground,” Ms Berejiklian said.
She also played down suggestions Albury was missing out due to its proximity to Wodonga.
“I want to assure the community every single part of NSW has an equal opportunity for its share of funding,” she said.
Albury Labor identity and councillor Darren Cameron said the city was paying the price for being a Liberal safe seat.
“Safe seats get less,” he said.
“Davey Road fail, Lavington Oval fail, MAMA massive fail.
“With the sale of Ausgrid now blocked by the federal government where will the money come from?
“The budget was only in surplus last year because of the fire sale of Transgrid.”
Ms Berejiklian also attended a lunchtime Liberal fundraiser in Albury.