NSW Labor Budget Reply 2022-23
On Thursday 23 June 2022, New South Wales Labor Leader Chris Minns delivered the 2022-23 Budget Reply speech. In his speech, Minns made announcements on government procurement, wages, childhood education, and industry development, with more to come in the lead up to the 25 March 2023 NSW State Election.
Minns welcomed the Perrottet Government’s initiative to put $743 million into palliative care, and the introduction of a Closing the Gap package, however described the rest of the Liberals’ budget as spin and announcements, with little to ease the cost-of-living burden on households.
Policy Announcements
Cost of Living Relief
A Minns Labor government will keep the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Tunnel in public ownership and provide commuters with toll relief.
Minns committed a Labor government to better and fairer wages for essential workers by scrapping the current New South Wales bargaining system, replacing it with a system based on productivity-based bargaining, with the intention of driving wages growth from the public sector.
Jobs
An elected Labor government will set a target of 50% minimum local content for future rolling stock contracts by the end of Labor’s first term, and increase tender weightings to 30% capturing local content, job creation, small business, and ethical supply chains.
A Labor government will set up a NSW Jobs First Commission. It will also redefine “value for money” to capture wider economic benefits, jobs created, and industry development.
Minns committed to making more and better local jobs his first Premier’s Priority.
Education and Skills
A NSW Labor government will build 100 government preschools co-located with primary schools in its first term, and ensure that every new primary school is built with co-located preschool/childcare.
Minns also promised that Labor will provide universal pre-school for four-year-old children earlier than 2030.
To address the skills gap, Labor will establish TAFE manufacturing centres of excellence in the Hunter, Western Sydney, the Illawarra, and in the Central West.
Health
A Labor government will fix the health system, with particular focus on the South and South Western suburbs. Minns claimed that at Blacktown Hospital, 8 in 10 critical Emergency Department patients did not start treatment on time.
Minns’ commitment is to deliver proper healthcare, no matter where you live.
Economy
Labor plans to bring back local jobs through local procurement and domestic manufacturing. Minns claimed that NSW has lost 42,000 manufacturing jobs in the same time Queensland gained 6,000.
A Labor government will look at population growth data to identify infrastructure need. Minns outlined a need for more budget funding in Sydney’s West and South West.
NSW Labor will consult with stakeholders on the safe return of rail assets to Transport for NSW and its agencies.
Further information
For further information, please contact your Hawker Britton consultant Simon Banks on +61 419 638 587.