Kiama MP Gareth Ward wasn't even invited to attend the Illawarra Pre-NSW Budget Roundtable on Monday.
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But that didn't stop NSW Shadow Treasurer, Walt Secord and Wollongong Labor MP Paul Scully from hitting out at Mr Ward for "playing politics".
Their comments came after the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services had stated that the Coalition government had spent more on Illawarra infrastructure projects than the Labor Party did in their 16 years of power.
"Most of the things [Mr Ward] takes credit for are things started, invented, conceived and planned under the previous Labor government," Mr Scully said.
"Gareth can reflect on 16 years ago when Labor was in government but he has been in office 10 years and Picton Road hasn't been upgraded. He has been in office 10 years, the Wollongong Entertainment Centre hasn't been upgraded. He has been in office 10 years and Unanderra station remains without lifts.
"The facts on the ground don't back up what he is trying to say."
Mr Secord, who had been invited to attend the roundtable event at the University of Wollongong by Mr Scully, said a bipartisan approach was needed to kick-start the NSW economy.
"These are extraordinary times. The campus here is like a ghost town, it should be bustling with people," he said.
"We are all in this together. We have to create jobs, we have to get medium-sized and large-scaled projects underway. So Gareth, let's stop playing politics, let's work together.
"Every waking moment should be about jobs, jobs, jobs and even more jobs."
Mr Scully organised the Illawarra Pre-NSW Budget Roundtable, following a similar summit aimed at trying to help Sydney's CBD recover from COVID-19.
"We are here today to listen to stakeholders and to remind the state government that the economic recovery from COVID must include the Illawarra and other rural and regional areas," Mr Secord said.
"We want to get people back at work, we want to get people spending, we want to create long-term productivity for everyone."
Mr Scully said that while the Sydney CBD needed support, that should not have a consequential impact of damaging the Illawarra economy.
"That's why we are here today," he said.
"That's why I've asked stakeholders from local government, representative organisations from the tourism, from the events sector ... all part and parcel of what is going on in the Wollongong economy to make sure that our ideas, our needs and our region features in the front line of those who were making decisions into the future."
For starters Mr Scully would like the government to use more Port Kembla steel in infrastructure projects.
He also wants the government to provide the $3.5 million needed to do the detail planning for the upgrade of the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.
And when the government hands down its budget on November 17, Mr Scully wants Picton Road to be fully funded.
"Picton Road should be funded. It should be upgraded to dual carriageway motorway standard. It should be done and started in the next budget," he said.
"You have a coalition now of the mayors of Wollondilly and Wollongong council. You have bipartisan approach from the state Parliament with myself, Anna Watson, Ryan Park and the Liberal Member for Wollondilly, Nathaniel Smith saying this needs to be done.
"You have got a coalition led by the Illawarra Business Chamber of businesses who use that road every day.
"The road is going to be filled and congested at peak hour times in 2023 and filled completely by 2025.
"Now it is a country road that is doing a motorways job. It needs to be a motorway doing a motorways job."
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