The state budget was a mixed bag for the Illawarra, according to the region's Labor MPs.
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While Wollongong MP Paul Scully was pleased to see funding for the upgrade of Unanderra station, Keira's Ryan Park was unhappy that the Mt Ousley interchange was ignored. Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said the budget held "no surprises".
The budget included $243 million for the Transport Access Program, which will fund upgrades to Unanderra and Towradgi stations, as well as the planning work for Dapto and Bellambi stations.
"This is the moment that so many people have been fighting for but few ever believed would happen," Mr Scully said of the funds for Unanderra station.
"I said during the 2016 Wollongong by-election that I was determined to secure funding to upgrade this station and I have delivered."
He was also pleased to see funds for the upgrade of Picton Road but noted the absence of money to upgrade the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.
Mr Park said it was the second year in a row the Mt Ousley interchange had been left out of the budget.
"We will be waiting a really long time before this important piece of infrastructure becomes a reality," Mr Park said.
He said, without funding for the interchange, the $2 million for the duplication of Picton Road "would be significantly undermined".
"The Berejiklian government has failed to provide adequate funding for the Keira electorate and the Illawarra region," Mr Park said.
Ms Watson said the budget did not include funding for items such as new schools in West Dapto, or a Service NSW office for the suburb.
"This budget fails to provide anything new for our community, and just emphasises the Berejiklian government's contempt for our region," Ms Watson said.
"Nothing new will be built out of the budget announced today. West Dapto will still have to wait for their Service NSW centre and travel long distance to do any of business with the NSW government."
The budget did include $10 million in funding for the already announced Shellharbour Hospital upgrade.
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