NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian says a record $1.4 billion for health infrastructure in the state budget will be in addition to money gleaned from leasing the poles and wires.
The treasurer joined Premier Mike Baird and Health Minister Jillian Skinner at Blacktown Hospital - one of the hospitals being rebuilt that will benefit from the cash flow.
Blacktown Hospital will receive $30 million and Westmead Hospital is set to receive $72 million, with the full breakdown expected in the NSW budget on June 23.
Ms Berejiklian said the reason they can invest more than one billion dollars into health infrastructure is because the budget is in a strong position thanks to four years of hard work by the government.
"(So) this is money in addition to the money we will receive in the poles and wires transaction," Ms Berejiklian confirmed on Sunday.
Mr Baird said this cash flow is not by chance, but as a result of tough decisions made in their previous budgets.
Additionally, there will be the $20 billion in infrastructure spending that the poles and wire lease will bring in, with the first lease transaction to get underway soon.
However, shadow minister for health Walt Secord compared the $1.4 billion announcement to a droplet in Sydney Harbour.
"These are baby steps in restoring the massive cuts that occurred over the last four years," he said, from both state and federal levels.
He said "let's just see" when the NSW budget is released, because much of the record funding is for planning and will not result in construction for a number of years.
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