MEMBER for Macquarie Susan Templeman said she has mixed feelings about the recently announced Western Sydney City Deal, praising some aspects of the deal while lamenting others.
The deal is a 20-year-plan to create the “Western Parkland City” of Sydney. Western Sydney, as defined by the plan includes the Hawkesbury, Penrith, Blue Mountains, Wollondilly, Campbelltown, Camden, Fairfield and Liverpoool.
Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett recently described the plan as significant.
However, Ms Templeman, who was heavily critical of the draft plan, was much more lukewarm on the deal.
“Any investment in the Hawkesbury community is an improvement on what the Liberal Government has provided to date,” she told the Gazette.
“I note that the ‘deal’ identifies that the Hawkesbury is positioned to leverage its unique heritage, which I hope the State and Federal Governments do more than just pay lip service to.”
The Liberal Party’s Western Sydney Senator Marise Payne said the city deal would create a jobs boom in Western Sydney, in a letter she sent to the Gazette.
“Communities right across Western Sydney, people from all walks of life, are set to gain from the City Deal,” she wrote.
“The City Deal will facilitate a great boost in jobs providing the people of Western Sydney with the opportunity to work closer to home, while crucial infrastructure upgrades will mean less time travelling for those who commute.
“The city and west will be better connected through new and improved transport links, including the North South Rail Link.”
Ms Templeman endorsed the proposed North South Rail Link, which would eventually connect Schofields with Macarthur via the Western Sydney Airport.
“Labor has certainly been calling for a commitment to the north-south rail line, so that is a sensible decision which is welcome,” she said.
Part of the deal proposes a $150 million fund the eight western Sydney councils, including the Hawkesbury, that are part of the deal can access.
Ms Templeman said while the overall number was high, there was no determining how much the Hawkesbury would receive.
“Unfortunately, there’s no detail released as to how the funds will be spent, nor the exact share for Hawkesbury of the $150 million Liveability Fund which will be split between eight councils,” she said.
“Realistically, the total fund is around the cost of a new bridge, yet Hawkesbury will receive only a portion of this funding, hopefully a fair share.
“Even if Hawkesbury receives an eighth of the funding – around $18 million – I can’t see how it deals with the key issues faced by Hawkesbury residents around traffic and public transport."
