Inner West residents have the budget blues today as the Liberal Treasurer once again overlooks our communities for vital investment and public sector workers’ wages are frozen.

The State Budget fails to fund much needed lifts at Lewisham Train Station, or a full upgrade at Canterbury Hospital, nor does it reverse cuts to inner west bus services or fund vital maintenance or upgrades at local schools.

There was no move to restore the millions of dollars taken by our local councils by Liberal-Nationals grant rorts.

At the same time, the Budget confirmed the Treasurer is cutting public servant wage rises from 2.5% to 1.5%, meaning frontline workers including nurses, teachers, cleaners and emergency service personnel will have less money in their pockets during one of the worst health and economic crises in a generation.

The Summer Hill electorate has one of the highest populations of public sector workers in the State, with almost 1800 public servants living in the electorate including 783 teachers, 842 health workers, 93 police officers and 57 public transport drivers.

“Creating local jobs is the key to our economic recovery and this Budget does little to put good paying, secure jobs in place across the inner west,” said Ms Haylen.

“Now is the time to invest in much-needed upgrades to our local schools, hospitals and roads but instead the Liberal Government is selling off public assets and cutting the wages of hard working teachers, nurses and bus drivers.

“This is short sighted stuff from a 10 year old tired Liberal Government. Cutting wages not only makes it harder for those families but all workers with less money being spent at our local shops, cafes and businesses.”