The Illawarra Business Chamber says Tuesday's state budget shows the government is "getting on with the job", but more needs to be done to further major infrastructure projects in the region.
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Although planning cash was announced for the Albion Park Rail bypass and the F6 freeway - now M1 Motorway - extension, the chamber says progress on the latter has been slow.
Chief executive Debra Murphy said the chamber's Rebuilding NSW submission had called on the government to complete the M1 extension from Waterfall to St Peters by 2020.
"Yet, five years out from the deadline, only $1.2 million of the promised $11 million for feasibility studies has been spent," Ms Murphy said.
"We'd like to see the same level of commitment and enthusiasm for the M1 extension that the government has shown other key road projects like WestConnex."
Ms Murphy said Wollongong-Sydney road and rail connectivity was worse than similar regional centres and a faster allocation of funding was needed to "get the job done". "While we appreciate that studies are required, the Illawarra needs new infrastructure to be mobilised as soon as possible."
The chamber said the allocation of more than $27 million over the next four years to create a Small Business Employment Incentive Scheme was a positive budget measure for the region's 26,000 small businesses.
The scheme will provide a grant of up to $2000 for non-payroll tax paying small businesses when they hire new employees.
"This measure is particularly important here in the Illawarra given that our youth unemployment rate still sits at a staggering 17 per cent," she said.
Ms Murphy said the state could have benefited from the immediate removal of the stamp duty on business transactions rather than at the end of next financial year.
