Treasurer Michael Costa is expected to deliver an ambitious capital works program worth up to $15 billion in tomorrow's state budget, but there are fears the Illawarra is under the Iemma government's radar when it comes to new big-ticket projects.
Yesterday, the Illawarra chairman of the NSW Property Council, Jeff Jones, said the region was conspicuously absent from a list of new top 20 priority infrastructure projects drawn up by the Iemma government, which were designed to kick-start a sluggish economy.
Mr Jones said while there were a number of key projects urgently needed in the region, his budget priority was the scrapping of the 3 per cent development levy that was supposed to raise $129 million for revitalisation of the CBD and replace it with a direct injection of $120 million over three years.
"Under the levy it will take $3.4 billion of development to raise the necessary money and an honest appraisal shows that's just not going to happen any time soon," Mr Jones said.
"With the $300 million GPT project about to get underway it would be silly not to adopt a co-ordinated approach to CBD revitalisation.
"The Government should not start playing catch-up after GPT is finished," he said.
His call for a new deal for the region follows research by the Illawarra Regional Information Service (IRIS) which shows government spending on public works like schools and hospitals was almost $500 higher per head of population in Newcastle than it was in Wollongong over the past six years.
IRIS executive director Simon Pomfrett said with Wollongong's population stagnating, the Government must introduce new initiatives urgently to provide more appropriately priced residential and commercial land.
"At the moment, the Government's focus seems to be totally on western and north-western Sydney and in this region the pressure has really been on Shellharbour in terms of land release," Mr Pomfrett said.
"My budget wishlist would certainly be for the Government to bite the bullet and take the pressure of the Wollongong City Council by funding the West Dapto Transport Link as a way of kick-starting population growth.
"At the same time they should find ways of addressing housing affordability in this growth area through special grants for roads and sewage or streamlining current processes," he said.
Mr Pomfrett said the completion of the M7 and the expansion of Port Kembla port had provided a good case for a serious upgrade of Picton Rd between the F6 and the Hume Hwy turn off.
NRMA Motoring and Services Deputy President Michael Tynan said it was time for action now that research into the proposed F6 extension between Waterfall and St Peters had been completed.
"Looking forward, the State Government, which provides the go-ahead funds for the F6 extension, will be viewed as geniuses for creating a mass economic benefit for the regional economy, reducing travel costs and cutting vehicle costs," Mr Tynan said.
"The NRMA's report proves the motorway would also be good for the economy - to the tune of $3 billion."
Wollongong Tourism general manager Greg Binskin wants the Government to release the findings of a review it commissioned into the state's tourism industry, which he claims has been sitting on Premier Morris Iemma's desk for months.
"Tourism NSW won't go that extra step until this report is released and with Wollongong well placed to push its credentials as a short stay destination given the increase in petrol prices, interest rates and other financial pressures being faced by families," Mr Binskin said.
"Our region has been doing very well ... but we must maintain momentum or risk losing all the benefits achieved through past marketing campaigns."
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