After just one year in power, the NSW Labor Government is delivering for communities in the Illawarra and the South Coast, making progress to increase healthcare access, invest in support services and pushing through important infrastructure projects.
Continuing on from record investments in the regions as part of the State Budget in September, the NSW Labor Government held the first Cabinet meeting in Wollongong in over a decade and remains committed to seeing the Illawarra and the South Coast reach their full potential, making vital investments to achieve this.
Improving healthcare access
- Improvements to wait times in public hospitals in the region, including a 27 percentage point improvement in the number of patients transferred from ambulances to the ED within 30 minutes at Wollongong Hospital.
- Expanded hours for the urgent care centre at Bulli Hospital to 7 days a week.
- Opened an urgent care centre in Dapto in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, which has seen over 2,400 patients since opening in December.
- Combined, these new and expanded health facilities have treated thousands of patients that could have ended up in emergency departments, easing pressure on our busy public hospitals and reducing wait times for those with less urgent conditions.
- Reducing the number of patients overdue for their elective surgery, thanks to hardworking staff and the Surgical Care Taskforce, seeing a 62% reduction in Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District as well as almost entirely removing all patients waiting longer than recommended in Southern NSW LHD, both in the 12-months since December 2022.
Delivering on key infrastructure and planning milestones
- $390 million investment to build a new Mount Ousley Interchange in partnership with the Commonwealth Government.
- Construction underway for a new network of mountain bike trails across the Illawarra and opening the Narooma and Eden Mountain Bike Trails.
- Train station upgrades at Dapto, Bellambi and Unanderra, improving accessibility and upgraded amenities for commuters.
- Work continuing for the Shoalhaven Hospital redevelopment and New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services project and on track to deliver the new Eurobodalla Hospital and plan for the new Batemans Bay Community Health Service.
- Secured $22 million to enhance Wollongong Hospital and $7.5 million to upgrade Milton Ulladulla Hospital.
- Opened Australia's first commercial hydrogen refuelling station at Port Kembla and a hydrogen powered bus operating in Wollongong.
- Commenced work into $20 million feasibility study for Bulli Bypass.
- Planning is underway for additional south facing entry and exit ramps for the M1 Princes Motorway at Dapto.
- Commencement of planning for the Wollongong Health Precinct.
- Commenced construction of a new ambulance station at Fairy Meadow.
- Approved a $182 million upgrade of berths at Port Kembla Harbour to support steel production.
- Secured a site in Bomaderry for a $35 million Landcom Build to Rent project.
- Transformed Bega's former TAFE site into a new 97 dwelling diverse housing project with 30 per cent of the homes to include much needed social and affordable housing.
Securing our education future
- $200 million to upgrade schools, including a new primary school for Nowra, and planning underway for a new high school at Flinders and new primary schools at West Dapto and Calderwood.
- Announced 100 new public pre-schools for NSW with ten in the Illawarra and the South Coast.
- Entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, through NSW TAFE, to explore "super TAFE" on the surplus BlueScope land.
Investing in support services
- Providing $2 million to create the first trauma recovery centre in the region to provide specialist care for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.
- Increased funding for Women's Health Centre's in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
- Launched Midwifery Group Practice in the Eurobodalla at Moruya Hospital.
- Rolled out the Aged Care Outreach Service (ACOS) which saw 1,054 residents in the first 6 months, with 80 per cent able to be cared for in their home and not needing transfer to hospital.
- Opened aged care transitional beds at Figtree Private Hospital in partnership with Commonwealth Government, providing an alternative for older patients who will benefit from additional therapy services whilst waiting in a residential style setting following discharge from hospital.
- Opened the new Safe Haven service to support Bega Valley residents experiencing mental health distress.
Supporting our frontline workers
- 826 teachers and 620 school support staff who were temporary now made permanent across the Illawarra and South Coast.
- Permanently funded 1,112 fulltime equivalent nursing and midwifery positions across NSW temporarily funded by the former Government, including positions in ISLHD and SNSWLHD.
- Record pay increase for local paramedics, seeing an average wage increase of 25 per cent over four years, delivering professional recognition to retain our highly skilled workforce.
- Investing $700,000 in the successful Youth Employment Strategy programs in the Illawarra and Eurobodalla, supporting businesses and tackling youth unemployment.
Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:
"As the Member for Keira and the Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast, I am proud of what our Labor Government is delivering for our region.
"The Illawarra and South Coast are both growing parts of the state in need of these vital investments to support our communities now and well into the future.
"There is still more to do, however I'm proud of the work we've done so far and I know we're on the right track."
Quotes attributable to Member for Wollongong Paul Scully:
"Wollongong has been at the heart of the Minns Government since day one.
"Over the past 12 months, along with my colleagues in the region, we have been able to deliver and progress more than was done in the last decade.
"We still have more work to do as we continue to build a better future for Wollongong and its residents."
Quotes attributable to Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson:
"It is fantastic to be part of a Government that cares about the Illawarra and it committed delivering for our region.
"We have a lot more work to do to ensure our fast-growing area has the infrastructure it needs, and we are committed to building much needed schools, roads and hospitals that will serve our community well into the future."
Quotes attributable to Member for South Coast Liza Butler:
"I am proud to be part of a government that is investing in the Illawarra and South Coast.
"Upgrades to healthcare services, education, infrastructure projects and historic pay deals with our amazing teachers, nurses, and paramedics, just to name a few.
"The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job and putting people first."
Quotes attributable to Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart:
"After more than a decade of neglect, we finally have a Government that is delivering for this area.
"I'm so proud we have delivered on promises to open Bulli Urgent Care Centre 7 days a week and on the $20 million feasibility study for Bulli Bypass.
"There is still more to do in the Illawarra but we are determined to continue to achieve for this area and across NSW."
Quotes attributable to Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland:
"Representing the Bega Electorate is an honour and I am very pleased with the NSW Labor Government's commitments to health improvements including opening a level 4 Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, Bega mental health Safe Haven, Midwifery Group Practice in Moruya, and working with the Commonwealth Government to provide an Urgent Care Clinic at Batemans Bay Hospital.
"In response to the housing crisis, our NSW Labor Government is planning to transform under-utilised government land at Bega's former TAFE site into a new 97 dwelling diverse housing project with 30 per cent of the homes to include much needed social and affordable housing.
"This is a NSW Labor Government which is delivering on the Bega Electorate's most critical social needs."
Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Kiama Sarah Kaine MLC:
"I am proud to be part of a Government that is investing in both the community and community members in Kiama.
"From the Shoalhaven and Shellharbour hospital redevelopments, to upgrades at Bomaderry High School, and new public pre-schools planned for Nowra and Bomaderry.
"To the community members who work in our schools, and our healthcare system who now have permanent positions, and all our public service workers who are no longer subject to an unfair wages cap."
