NSW treasurer to reinforce AAA rating

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird says maintaining the state's AAA credit rating is the key purpose of his trip to Singapore, London and Tokyo next week.

He is due to brief ratings agencies Moody's and Standard & Poor on his government's fiscal strategies and will also meet infrastructure investors and bond holders to promote investment in NSW.

"The main purpose of this visit is to reinforce our commitment to maintaining our AAA credit rating," Mr Baird said in a statement on Thursday.

"NSW, along with Victoria, is one of only two states to retain the AAA rating with both agencies.

"Loss of the rating over 10 years would cost NSW taxpayers about $3.75 billion," Mr Baird said.

He said that money would be far better spent on schools and hospitals than on paying interest.

"My message to the ratings agencies will be that, in difficult national and global economic conditions, the NSW Liberals and Nationals government is committed to maintaining the fiscal discipline that it has demonstrated over the past three years."

Mr Baird said the government had delivered three successive budgets in which expenses came in under projections.