NSW Premier Chris Minns says turning around the performance of schools and hospitals in NSW remains his top priority, as new research reveals one million people in the state are living below the poverty line.
As counting continues in the election – with Labor likely to fall one or two seats short of the 47 required for majority government – the premier is heading to the far west town of Menindee for his first regional visit after being sworn in on Tuesday.
Labor has 45 seats and is ahead in just one of the five seats still in doubt.
Mr Minns says he remains hopeful of securing more seats but the government will deal with any MPs who are elected to pass its legislation, with three already signalling their support.
“We have confidence and supply from enough crossbenchers,” told ABC TV on Wednesday.
“Whether it’s a majority government or a minority government we’re ready.”
The new premier doubled down on his commitment to prioritising spending on essential services after “sobering” new research from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling revealed one million people are living below the poverty line in NSW.
Commissioned by the NSW Council of Social Service on Wednesday, the research found 15 per cent of children under 15 were living in poverty.
The premier acknowledged many families were on the breadline with inflation running between seven and eight per cent and energy prices “going through the roof” on top of ballooning mortgage repayments and rental costs.
“We know that we have an urgent crisis for literally hundreds of thousands of people who live in Australia’s largest state,” he said.
“We need to make sure that we’re in position with an economic position that can lift up people who are doing it tough.”
He also rejected a push by NRL bosses, who are demanding the new government commit to upgrading the suburban home grounds of the Manly Sea Eagles, Cronulla Sharks and Wests Tigers.
“No, we were elected on a platform to turn around the performance of schools and hospitals and they have to be the absolute priority,” he said.
The government had inherited $200 billion in debt and was committed to fixing essential services, he said.
The premier is travelling to Menindee to survey the millions of native fish which have washed up dead on the Darling-Baaka River.
The premier flagged the trip as a listening tour to understand the impact of commerce and business and ensure the agriculture and farming community “can get back up on its feet”.
We need to make sure that those communities aren’t forgotten,” he said.
The mass fish kills were likely caused by low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, known as hypoxic blackwater, which has been exacerbated by the extreme conditions.
– AAP
