When we inherited the government benches; we inherited Labor’s $5.2 billion budget deficit, we inherited a government where Labor failed to meet a single budgetary spending target over their 16 years in office; we inherited a government that hadn’t only lost its way - it was dysfunctional, inward-looking and in need of reform.

We inherited a government which wasted money at every turn, be it the $500 million on a metro project that saw not a single sleeper laid, $127 million on an electronic transport ticketing system that was never implemented, the shutting down of State Parliament to ram through a botched electricity sale or the $32 million spent every year on the public service ‘unattached list’ with one person listed as ‘working’ for 16 years without a job!

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In just two years, we have delivered on our promises and we’re working to rebuild NSW.

There are now more doctors, nurses, teachers and police in NSW than any other time in our state’s history. Our commitment to moving resources from the backroom to the front line has never been clearer. 

To be more specific, in Labor’s last term in office, they spent $46 billion on education; over this term of government we will spend $53.5 billion on front-line teachers and resources – and we’ve employed 520 more teachers than the former Labor government. 

In the Illawarra, 177 teachers have received their first placing in a classroom. We’re committed to 900 more reading recovery teachers and we’ve invested an additional $69 million into students with disabilities; something to which I have a strong personal commitment. 

At the last election, we said we would employ 3000 extra nurses by 2015. Just half way through our term, we’ve delivered on that promise and the Illawarra has received 186 additional nurses as a result. We’ve also commenced the $86 million upgrade of the elective surgery unit at Wollongong Hospital, commenced the $14 million upgrade of the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, started construction on the new cancer care centre for the Shoalhaven (which will be completed in August), and we’re delivering on our promise of 600 new car spaces for Wollongong Hospital and 124 new car spaces for Shoalhaven Hospital. 

All Illawarra Members of Parliament also worked closely together to start the process to deliver a PET scanner for Wollongong Hospital with the government working through the tender process. 

Not only have we established a new Police Transport Command, but the Illawarra has also received an addition 49 police since the change of government. 

In relation to transport, we are delivering upgrades for Dapto, Albion Park and Gerringong train stations and we’ll shortly start construction of the new Shell Cove Station. We’ve also added an additional 7000 extra seats to weekend train services on the South Coast line. 

We’re also fixing up Labor’s mess at Oak Flats where Labor built a police station without car parking next to the Oak Flats Station. This year we’ll commence construction on 230 new car spaces for Oak Flats, 50 new car spaces at Moss Vale and 40 new car spaces at Kiama. 

We’ve also introduced quiet carriages to provide commuters with a different travelling experience.

In relation to the Illawarra economy, we’ve worked together with the federal government to establish the Illawarra Innovation and Investment fund following the winding back of operations at BlueScope. And following the leasing of Port Kembla, we’ll be investing $260 million back into Illawarra infrastructure, with the leasing of the Port providing for greater opportunity for private sector expansion and investment in our region. 

Of these funds, $160 million will go towards the largest-ever single investment in the Princes Highway with the government spending $820 million to upgrade this road by 2018. 

Since coming into government, we’ve increased the payroll tax-free threshold, giving small business greater opportunity to generate jobs; we’ve legislated to protect our Triple-A credit rating; slashed 152 regulations and met our first term target to generate 100,000 new jobs in our state with over 7000 of these jobs here in the Illawarra. 

We’ve delivered on our promise for a low income electricity rebate and we’ve capped electricity network price increases to the CPI. 

We’ve abolished Part 3A, which led to disastrous decisions such as the Calderwood development, and we’re getting on with the job of re-writing our state’s beleaguered planning system.

We’ve legislated for the toughest Coal Seam Gas regime in the nation in order to regulate an industry which was given life under Labor’s obsession with the issuing of CSG licenses when in government. 

We’ve banned lobbyist success fees; abolished union and corporate donations from state politics; returned democracy to Wollongong and Shellharbour councils after these Labor-majority councils were sacked by their own former government; halved license fees for good drivers; slashed paperwork for transporting farm equipment on road; established Services NSW to bring government services under one-roof; established the office of the Small Business Commissioner to advocate for business within government; established a Public Service Commissioner to protect the integrity of our state’s public service; strengthened the powers of the Independent Commission Against Corruption; established our low interest loan scheme for Local Government infrastructure, unlocking almost $40 million in works across our region; committed to recurrent funding for the community building partnerships program; and delivered on our promised boost in funds to surf life saving NSW. 

I am proud of the tough but necessary decisions this government is taking to deliver the services people need and the value for money that taxpayers expect. 

Together with Heathcote MP Lee Evans, we will continue to fix the broken government left by Labor, fight hard for the resources and services our region needs and work hard to mark our state number one again. 

Labor MPs had 16 years to do all the things I mentioned above. They failed. The time for excuses has ended – it’s time to get on with the job. 

Gareth Ward is the Acting Speaker of the NSW Parliament and the Member for Kiama.