The NSW budget has provided money for ongoing projects across Wagga and its electorate, earning praise from MPs as well as criticism from Labor over a lack of new projects.
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As well as committing $116 million for hospital upgrades in Wagga and Tumut and a new school at Estella, all of which were already in progress, the budget has provided money for 10 smaller projects along roads and cycling tracks.
The government will spend $41.4 million in the current financial year to support the $431.4 million Wagga Base Hospital redevelopment and will spend $3.1 million on works for the hospital's new $30 million car park.
The $50 million Tumut Hospital redevelopment will receive $29.6 million over the next few months.
Wagga-based Nationals MP Wes Fang said the hospital funding would ensure "our communities have access to the same world-class health services and facilities as those in the city".
Independent Wagga MP Joe McGirr said "a lot of people would be looking forward" to the Wagga Base Hospital's upgrade and new car park being completed.
The new primary school at Estella will receive $32.7 million towards its $42.5 million cost and $9.2 million will be spent on an ongoing upgrade of Wagga's government office hub.
Dr McGirr said the government office funding would allow Wagga's Riverina Conservatorium of Music phase one development to go ahead.
"It's good to have that confirmed," he said.
Wagga Labor councillor Dan Hayes said the electorate should have been rewarded for its success in combating the coronavirus pandemic but was instead seeing funding for projects that were up to three years old.
"After the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings, I was worried that the government would ignore Wagga because of the revelations; that they were they were going to shy away from the level of political and media scrutiny on anything coming to Wagga," he said.
"Unfortunately, my fears got confirmed. It was all existing projects and not anything new."
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The budget has provided nearly $20 million for ongoing or previously announced transport projects within Wagga and its electorate.
The funding includes $2.5 million to "complete planning and design for the replacement of Marshall's Creek Bridge" and $1.5 million to "continue planning for upgrades to Olympic Highway intersections at Travers Street and Old Narrandera Road".
The government will provide almost $3.8 million for the construction of concrete and asphalt shared pathways as part of stage two of the Wagga Active Travel Plan, including 29 refuge crossings and four pedestrian bridges.
There was also $3 million to upgrade Dunns Road at Wagga.
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Mr Fang said the roads and cycling projects would deliver "better and safer outcomes for residents, whether transporting food and fibre, traveling for leisure or fitness, or driving home after a long day at work".
The Wagga electorate has received money from the budget's 'Restart NSW Fund "for the delivery of high-priority infrastructure projects".
The Restart NSW funding included almost $4 million for an upgrade on the Urana-Lockhart Road, $4.9 million for the Wagga High Productivity Freight Route Upgrade at Eunony Bridge, $667,000 for The Rock Road upgrade and $250,000 to assess bridge capacity on 13 freight routes.
The Wagga electorate will also share in $20.3 million for the South West Slopes Timber Industry Road Network and $597,000 for a Grubben Road upgrade north of Henty.
The joint NSW and federal government project for continued delivery of overtaking lanes along the Newell Highway will receive $72 million in 2020-21.
Junee Correctional Centre will share in a 'Prison Bed Capacity' fund worth $274 million across NSW.