Berejiklian keen to spruik NSW to the US

Gladys Berejiklian will join five state and territory leaders and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on a trip to the US to spruik NSW's asset recycling scheme.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will be spruiking her state's asset recycling scheme and the western Sydney airport when she travels with the prime minister to the United States.

Malcolm Turnbull will meet with President Donald Trump and also address the National Governors' Association meeting, hoping to build trade connections between the two countries.

Ms Berejiklian is one of six state and territory leaders also heading to the US as part of Mr Turnbull's entourage.

"What I'll be spruiking ... is the opportunity to have global brands from the US increase their footprint in NSW or set up shop to increase jobs growth," she told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

Her trip comes just weeks after NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet travelled to the US, when many politicians expressed interest in the state's asset recycling scheme.

That program involves privatising public assets to bankroll infrastructure projects.

"I think there is huge interest in what NSW has achieved, especially given our population, an $80 billion investment for a state our size by American standards would be regarded as very significant," Ms Berejiklian said.

She rejected criticism of the scheme, which included selling off the electricity network's "poles and wires", saying it has been a "win for taxpayers" given that "many of these assets are not productive or profitable".

Ms Berejiklian will also sell what she dubbed the biggest "game changer" project for NSW, the western Sydney airport, which is set to open in 2026 with an "aerotropolis" built around it.

She's pushing for it to be home to Australia's space capital, freight logistics hub and the jobs of the future.

She pointed to US defence company Northrop Grumman, which has already made a $1 million investment in Australia.

Ms Berejiklian says her state won't be offering any direct incentives to US companies, but "offering the incentive to be part of something very exciting and new for the future".

Mr Turnbull leaves Sydney on Wednesday afternoon and is expected back on Monday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and West Australian Premier Mark McGowan will join the NSW premier, along with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner.


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Source: AAP


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