The New south Wales Budget has outlined $1.1 billion in spending in the Department of Primary Industries to deliver services and programs for the state's rural and regional communities.

 

State Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, said that the Budget will maximise opportunities for the Department of Primary Industries, which covers areas including Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries, Water, Catchment Management Authorities and Crown Lands.

 

Spending includes:

  • $90 million to be spent on NSW fisheries, some of which will go toward funding the NSW Government’s commitment for a scientific audit of marine parks as well as restructuring the commercial fishing industry.

  • More than $380 million will be invested in Catchment Management Authorities and Crown Lands, including $230 million for the proper management of the State’s 33,000 Crown reserves.

  • $260 million investment in NSW water management, and $97 million for the State’s water utilities, of which $84 million will go toward the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program to fund important sewerage and water upgrades in the State.

  • $12.3 million for coastal infrastructure repairs on maritime assets on Crown Land including major maintenance works at Batemans Bay, Bermagui, Coffs Harbour, Eden, Nelson Bay, Port Macquarie, Swansea and Wollongong.

  • More than $11 million to fund water and sewerage programs within 60 Aboriginal communities across NSW.

  • $7.5 million for the continued rehabilitation of artesian bores as part of the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI), which is an infrastructure renewalprogram funded jointly by NSW and the Commonwealth.

  • $5.5 million to meet the Government’s commitments under the Tweed River EntranceSand Bypassing Act 1995, which will see the continuation of sand pumping and dredging at the entrance of the Tweed River.