The 2015-16 NSW Budget secures Western NSW’s water future while continuing to invest in schools, hospitals, sports facilities and transport links.

Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Sarah Mitchell said the budget would help improve everyday lives in Western NSW while ensuring the region is prepared for growth.

“The budget presents big opportunities for Western NSW on many fronts,” Ms Mitchell said.

“I’m pleased the Coalition Government is supporting the region and backing its words with dollars in this Budget.”

The Budget includes more than half a billion dollars for water security across NSW, including 16 local infrastructure projects and an initial $52.3 million to secure emergency water supplies for Broken Hill as part of Restart NSW.

Western NSW will receive a share of the $38 million allocation under the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program, which provides financial assistance to Local Governments to upgrade water and sewerage infrastructure.

That includes $2.2 million for the Walgett water supply bore, in Barwon, and $1.2 million for the Lake Endeavour Dam Upgrade, Orange.

Roads in Western NSW will receive $641 million in the 2015-16 NSW Budget, including continued works to fast track major upgrades and repairs on the Newell, Great Western, New England, Oxley, Mitchell, Riverina, Cobb and Silver City highways.

In education, capital funding will go towards a new Dubbo Networked Specialist School which will include a new special school, and a Networked Specialist Centre as well as an upgrade to Dubbo West Public School.

The Budget also includes $10.2 million to continue the $15 million redevelopment of Moree East Public and $4.8 million for the $7.6 million refurbishment of high school buildings at Walgett Community College.

Western NSW is receiving a big health funding injection including $37.8 million to progress works at Parkes and Forbes Hospitals and $30.6 million to continue Tamworth Hospital’s redevelopment.

The region’s sports facilities will be revamped with $5 million to assist with the development of the second circuit at Mount Panorama in Bathurst and $2.25 million to upgrade the Lithgow Aquatic Centre.

This Budget also provides $7.5 million this year to start work on the replacement of the 30-year-old XPT fleet, including $6 million to start planning fleet replacements and $1.5 million for planning the rail corridor upgrades and stabling. The new fleet will provide faster travel times and dramatically improve comfort and reliability for customers across Western NSW.

The NSW Government is also delivering $400 million across the state in the Housing Acceleration Fund, the largest ever single contribution, to go directly towards the infrastructure required in growth areas and to bring housing to market as quickly as possible.