NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has denied a $5 billion cash splash in Western Sydney is an apology for harsh COVID lockdowns imposed in the area last year.
The Premier on Monday announced that the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area (LGA) would be the first recipient of money from the $5 billion 'WestInvest' fund.
Canterbury-Bankstown will be handed $24 million for council-led projects which include new state-of-the-art community facilities, new parks and pedestrian links.
The government said $10 million would go towards a dedicated arts and cultural precinct in Campsie, $5 million for a new multipurpose facility in Greenacre, $5 million to overhaul the Wran Leisure Centre in Villawood and $4 million for 6.2 kilometres of pedestrian infrastructure.
"We want our families in Western Sydney to have every opportunity and great prosperity," Mr Perrottet said.
Over the coming weeks millions more dollars will be rolled out to the 15 other LGAs included in the WestInvest project which includes Fairfield, Campbelltown, Liverpool, The Hills and The Hawkesbury.
Each local council is eligible for between $20 million and $35 million, depending on population size, and all projects have been proposed by the relevant local governments and independently assessed.
"[This] is our plan for the fastest growing region in New South Wales and indeed Australia," Treasurer Matt Kean said.
But Mr Perrottet denied the grants were a $5 billion apology to the people of Western Sydney who endured some of the harshest lockdowns in the world during the Delta strain of COVID-19.
"No this is a $5 billion investment in Western Sydney," he said.
"It's completely disconnected."
Several electorates up for play in the upcoming election, such as Parramatta and Riverstone, had strict COVID rules other parts of Sydney weren't subject to.
Mr Perrottet said the funding for the projects was allocated 12 months ago when WestInvest was announced and wasn't a sweetener ahead of the 2023 March state election.
However, Shayne Mallard, the parliamentary secretary for Western Sydney, seemed to suggest there was a message behind the money.
"This is recognition for the future of Western Sydney, the great potential of Western Sydney and also how we went through a bit of hardship during the COVID period and acknowledging that," he said.
The money for WestInvest came from the government selling off its residual share of WestConnex for $20 billion last year.
Sydney Transport Partners — a consortium including Transurban — now has full control of the 33-kilometre motorway.
Mr Perrottet said this "asset recycling" is the only reason these local grants were possible.
Shadow treasurer Daniel Mookhey said people in Western Sydney may feel understandably cynical about Monday's announcement given where the money has come from.
"This money…is the result of this government's decade of privatisation and signing New South Wales up to two generations of tollways," he said.
"It's effectively the crumbs that are left afterwards."
Opposition spokesman for roads John Graham said the government had signed commuters up to $115 billion in toll fees over the next four decades.
Mr Mookhey said WestInvest money was meant to be out the door last year and now six months from the election the Premier and Treasurer were doing their best "Santa Claus impressions".
