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This year’s Stage Budget recognises that cost-of-living pressures remain a challenge for the people of regional and rural New South Wales.

Longer travel distances, higher energy needs and fewer alternatives mean higher costs are often felt most acutely in regional communities.

This Budget recognises that access to essential services should not depend on where you live.

Regional and rural families will benefit from key initiatives in the Budget including:

• $100 off private vehicle registration with an $80 cut for motorcycles (excluding caravans and trailers). This is relief that matters most where people rely on cars, utes and longer drives.
• A share of $557.1 million through the Home Energy Saver program: interest-free loans and discounts to install energy-efficient appliances and cut power bills over time.
• More than $1 billion for biosecurity measures including funding to continue combating pest and weed incursions.
• An additional $16.3 million to bolster existing feral pig and deer control strategies.
• $86.6 million over the next two years in the most comprehensive shark management program in NSW’s history.
• Investing $13.7 million for animal welfare in 2026-27, including grant funding to the RSPCA and Animal Welfare League for enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Concessions and Exemptions Granted

• Land tax exemption grants for land use for primary production – up 23.7 per cent to $3.2 billion
• Primary producer motor vehicle concessions – $24 million – 2025-26
• Fishing licence concessions to pensioners – $9 million – 2025-26

Other budget initiatives for regional NSW include:

• Nearly $3 billion to be invested in new and upgraded health facilities for rural and regional communities across NSW, including $1.1 billion in 2026-27;
  • New maternity unit at Grafton Hospital worth $20 million
  • $9.9 million for robotic surgery research and capability at Orange Health Service
  • $1 million to plan for future paediatric oncology services for children in the Hunter New England and the North Coast
• $2.3 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW
• $910.9 million to restore local and state roads, and other essential public assets damaged by natural disasters
• Funding to reconstruct and reopen the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass
• $9.8 billion on regional roads and transport including $291 million for the new Regional Corridors Upgrade Program
• $195.2 million to deliver a landscape-scale, integrated approach to threatened species conservation to support ecosystem recovery across NSW
• $154.2 million to support First Nations communities across NSW
• $153.9 million to support regional communities through the Regional Development Trust
• $130.0 million to maintain and renew national park visitor infrastructure to keep facilities safe and open across NSW
• $209.2 million to improve the and expand the Public Safety Network (PSN), ensuring reliable communications for emergency services and addressing critical asset, operational and greater coverage across NSW
• Better emergency care in regional NSW through an additional $67.4 million to deliver three new regional helicopter bases
• $1.0 million for future paediatric oncology services in Hunter New England and North Coast
• $71.7 million for supporting patients travelling long distances for care for the Isolated Patient Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme
• $2.2 million over two years to coordinate youth crime services in regional NSW
• $1.9 million in 2026-27 to strengthen emergency response capability and resilience of local water utilities

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said: 

“Regional NSW plays a vital role in our state’s prosperity. By easing pressures today and investing in the future of regional NSW, this Budget ensures our regions remain strong, connected and full of opportunity.

“Together, this Budget reflects a balanced approach of providing immediate cost‑of‑living relief while investing in the our primary industries, infrastructure, industries and services for thriving regional communities into the future.”

The NSW Government has increased surveillance and boosted biosecurity capacity for H5 bird flu by dedicating additional resources to identifying potential cases coupled with an awareness campaign focused on input from the community and the needs of industry.

Surveillance operations have ramped up as state prepares for a potential detection in NSW, including establishing a H5 bird flu call centre, training over 380 additional staff, including Local Land Services and National Parks and Wildlife Service field officers to undertake surveillance for H5 bird flu.

All surveillance testing for H5 bird flu takes place at the Elizbeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) is funded by the NSW Government.

The State Coordination Centre has been stood up at the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development (DPIRD)’s Orange Agricultural Institute to provide coordination of surveillance operations and NSW’s response should a detection be confirmed.

NSW DPIRD has delivered a series of webinars and workshops with government field staff and veterinarians to build practical capability to respond to an H5 bird flu detection in NSW.

The focus has been on hands-on skills including roles, reporting, sampling and PPE, resulting in strong improvements in participant confidence.

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has developed detailed wildlife preparedness plans for 34 priority sites, and statewide response plans for vulnerable species including little penguins and fur seals.

NSW has well developed wildlife surveillance systems to facilitate early detection and there are established national arrangements for responding to incursions of H5 bird flu in wildlife.

An awareness campaign is underway direct with industry and across social media providing the essential information. Briefings have been held with environmental groups, and an industry briefing is planned for later this week.

Additional resources have been deployed to manage the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

To date, H5 bird flu has not been detected in NSW. NSW remains free of H5 bird flu.

NSW Health advises that the risk to human health remains low.

If unusual deaths or illness in wild birds are observed please AVOID contact, RECORD by taking photos or video and REPORT immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“We are doing everything possible to keep H5 out of NSW and protecting our primary industries sector by strengthening surveillance and boosting biosecurity capacity and capability across the production and environmental fronts.

“We have delivered more than 50 briefings and workshops to key agricultural and wildlife stakeholders, ensuring if it does arrive industry and the community have the vital information to manage an outbreak.

“We are using the best available data to target actions for our most at-risk wildlife species and important natural places.

“We continue to offer our support to Western Australia following its confirmed cases, in technical or operational areas; we want to provide support where we can to help WA and contain the virus.”

NSW Chief Veterinary Officer Jo Coombe said:

“We are establishing innovative spatial mapping tools, decision-support systems and response databases to enable rapid, evidence-based action during a wildlife outbreak.

“While the current incursion has only been confirmed in two birds, eradication or containment of H5 bird flu in wildlife is unlikely to be possible if it becomes established in wildlife populations.

“We continue to ask the community to AVOID, RECORD and REPORT any unusual signs of illness or deaths of multiple birds, especially on the coastline, so we can manage any incursion quickly.

“We are working closely with the Australian Government and following national arrangements in place.

“Our focus, if it were to become established in NSW, would be to minimise risk of onward transmission to commercial poultry, protect human health, where possible reduce the impact on the environment, and ensure stakeholders are kept informed.”

The NSW Liberals and Nationals have a plan to support families, back jobs and get NSW back to the top of the pack. A key part of that plan is delivering a more affordable, reliable and resilient energy system that puts downward pressure on power bills and supports economic growth.
 
Under Labor families and businesses are struggling, energy costs continue to rise and confidence in the state’s energy transition continues to weaken.
 
The Liberals and Nationals will diversify the state’s energy mix by unlocking energy generation, storage and distribution closer to where people live and businesses operate.
 
The centrepiece of the plan is the creation of the Sydney City Renewable Energy Zone and accelerating work to create additional zones in Newcastle and Wollongong.
 
These City REZs will unlock the state’s largest untapped energy resource by supporting industrial precincts, commercial buildings, apartment complexes and local communities, to better utilise solar and battery technology, generating and storing power closer to where it is consumed.
 
The plan will also prioritise scoping studies and support for the Outback Renewable Energy Zone as part of a more diverse and resilient energy system for NSW. The Far West region possesses some of the state’s strongest solar resources and significant potential for renewable generation and storage. Importantly, the Outback REZ has the capacity to unlock substantial new energy generation while supporting regional jobs, investment and economic development.
 
The scope and scale of the New England Renewable Energy Zone, which is significantly over budget and behind schedule will also be reviewed and revised.
 
The review will prioritise upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure and remove the need for the proposed 500kV transmission line corridor.
 
Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said affordable and reliable energy was essential to a strong economy.
 
“A stronger economy requires affordable and reliable energy. If we want lower power bills, more jobs and greater economic resilience, we need to produce more energy, closer to where it is used,” Ms Sloane said.
 
“Families cannot get ahead and businesses cannot grow if they are paying too much for power.”
 
“New South Wales needs new generation and storage as coal retires, but the transition must be affordable, deliverable and undertaken in partnership with communities.”
 
“Our plan is focused on energy security, economic resilience and lower costs for households and businesses.”
 
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change James Griffin said City Renewable Energy Zones are about generating and storing more power closer to where people live and businesses operate.
 
“Instead of relying solely on energy generated hundreds of kilometres away, we will unlock the enormous potential of industrial precincts, commercial buildings and apartment complexes across Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to produce, store and supply energy directly into the existing grid.”
 
“This is about making better use of the assets we already have. Thousands of warehouses, industrial sites, commercial buildings and apartment developments have the potential to become part of our energy network, generating power where it is needed most and reducing reliance on expensive new transmission infrastructure.
 
We will create a Delivery Coordination Office, to work alongside communities, councils, networks and the market to get the Urban REZ up and running urgently.”
 
Leader of the NSW Nationals Gurmesh Singh said that under Labor, the state’s energy roadmap is becoming increasingly concentrated.
 
“Supporting new energy generation should not come at the expense of some of our most productive farmland. We have listened to local communities and are putting forward a practical plan that delivers energy security while reducing unnecessary impacts on landholders and the environment.”
 
“That’s why we’ll establish the Outback REZ. Unlike other parts of the state, the Far West offers an opportunity to expand generation in an area with lower population density and fewer land-use conflicts, helping diversify NSW’s energy supply and reduce reliance on a small number of Renewable Energy Zones.”
 
“The Liberals and Nationals support the energy transition, but it must be cheaper, better, fairer, and carried out in partnership with local communities. That means listening when legitimate concerns are raised and being prepared to adjust the plan.”
 
The Liberals and Nationals estimate the plan has the potential to unlock enough generation and storage capacity to power around 10 million homes, roughly equivalent to every household in Australia.
 
This is a practical plan to help families get ahead and stay ahead, support businesses to grow and create jobs, and build a stronger future for NSW.

Families across NSW rely every day on schools, hospitals and other essential services – and on the dedicated people who deliver them.

This Budget continues rebuilding the essential services families rely on, while supporting the workers who deliver them every day.

It acts on a simple principle: relief for today and reform for tomorrow – building a state working Australians can afford.

A stronger health system 

Health is the largest single commitment in this Budget.

A historic $10.3 billion increase in health funding over four years, delivered with the Australian Government, will grow the workforce, lift hospital capacity and meet rising demand. It delivers:

• 9,000 more health workers
• Capacity for an extra 33,000 emergency department presentations and 2,900 more planned surgeries each year.

The Budget also includes $11.9 billion for health infrastructure including 32 new and upgraded hospitals and more than 2,500 beds, with $400 million for critical maintenance.

Nurses and midwives receive the largest pay rise in more than twenty years, and the largest ever for enrolled nurses, backed by an additional $2.9 billion in this Budget.

Northern Beaches Hospital is now publicly owned, with all 494 beds and more than 1,800 staff transferred to NSW Health.

Mental health support 

This Budget keeps frontline mental health and suicide prevention services running and 
backs people in crisis. It invests:

• $64.8 million to maintain critical mental health and suicide prevention services statewide, in partnership with the Australian Government.
• $43.3 million for immediate crisis support through Lifeline services.
• $4.3 million for mental health peak bodies and community-managed services.

Better schools and early learning

Every child deserves a world-class education, wherever they live. This Budget invests $9.2 billion statewide over four years for new and upgraded schools, a quarter of it in regional NSW. It also delivers:

• The 3-Year-Old Fee Relief Trial in Long Day Care extended to the end of 2027, worth $42.6 million.
• Co-located public early learning at a further 17 public schools, in addition to the commitment of 100 new public preschools by 2027.

NSW schools now have 71 per cent fewer teacher vacancies than November 2022, with 25,000 teachers made permanent since 2023.

TAFE and skills

This Budget makes an investment of $3.4 billion in skills and TAFE, including $233.0 million in capital for campus upgrades, maintenance and revitalisation.

More than 3,300 TAFE teachers have been made permanent since 2023.

Responsible decisions make these investments possible

This Budget can provide cost-of-living relief and continue investing in essential services because the Government has spent the past three years making responsible and difficult decisions to strengthen the state’s finances.

That work has been done without privatisation and without bringing back an unfair wages cap, while keeping public assets in public hands and maintaining an independent umpire for wages and conditions.

As global uncertainty and higher fuel prices place additional pressure on families and businesses, this Budget provides support now while continuing the work of returning the state’s finances to surplus in 2027-28.

It’s about supporting families today, while securing NSW’s future.

Families across Western NSW are under real pressure. Vast distances, higher energy and water costs and fewer local alternatives mean the cost of mortgages, rent, groceries and fuel is felt acutely across the region, from the Central West to the Far West.

This Budget acts on a simple principle: relief for today, reform for tomorrow, discipline always – building a state working Australians can afford.

Relief for cost-of-living pressures

Relief in this Budget is practical and immediate, and it reaches Western NSW households where costs bite hardest, on the road and in power bills. It delivers:

• $100 off private vehicle registration, worth $435 million across 4.4 million vehicles, with an $80 cut for motorcycles (excluding caravans and trailers). This is relief that matters most where people rely on cars, utes and longer drives.
• $557.1 million through the Home Energy Saver program: interest-free loans and discounts to install energy-efficient appliances and cut power bills over time.
• A $1,000 cost-of-living payment for more than 120,000 NSW Government employees, triggered because Sydney CPI growth exceeded 4 per cent between the March quarters of 2025 and 2026.

These relief measures sit in a wider statewide package, comprising:

• The weekly toll cap cut from $60 to $50 for 2026-27, going further than last year’s $60 cap.
• Scrapping toll administration fees from July, saving at least $10 a notice, and ending a charge that cost motorists $60 million last year, in some cases twice the toll itself.
• Opal fares held at 2025 prices for the year.

Healthier Western NSW communities

Health is the largest single commitment in this Budget.

Across NSW, a historic $10.3 billion increase in health funding over four years, delivered with the Australian Government, will recruit 9,000 more health workers and fund around 2,900 more planned surgeries a year.

This sits alongside $11.9 billion for heath infrastructure including 32 new and upgraded hospitals and more than 2,500 beds.

Regional NSW shares fully in that program. Of the $11.9 billion statewide, nearly $3.0 billion is invested in regional hospitals and health facilities over the next four years. In Western NSW, this includes $23.1 million for the Dubbo Alcohol and Other Drug Residential Rehabilitation Centre.

Nurses and midwives receive the largest pay rise in more than twenty years, and the largest ever for enrolled nurses, backed by an additional $2.9 billion in this Budget.

Western NSW nurses, midwives, teachers and police are among those benefiting from the high wage economy this Government is building.

Better schools, closer to home

Every child deserves a world-class education, wherever they live. This Budget invests $9.2 billion statewide over four years for new and upgraded schools, of which $2.3 billion is for regional NSW. In Western NSW, this includes the Willyama High School rebuild in Broken Hill.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering new and rebuilt schools across regional NSW, close to the communities they serve.

Transport and connectivity

Reliable transport keeps Western NSW connected and moving. This Budget invests:

• $31.8 million for a heavy-vehicle bypass route at Gilgandra.
• $29.9 million for the Newell Highway upgrade and the new Dubbo Bridge.

Safer Western NSW communities 

Domestic and family violence is disproportionately higher in rural and regional areas.

This Budget makes a $184.1 million investment in six frontline domestic and family violence
programs, helping thousands more women, children and people impacted by violence access specialist support and stay safe. This is a 50 per cent increase phased in over four years.

Community workers also receive a 4.75 per cent pay increase under the Fair Work Commission determination.

Investments in emergency services protect communities and keep families and businesses safe.

This Budget provides $470.1 million over 10 years to enhance emergency response and better protect communities by transferring the state’s red fleet from councils to the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The Budget also continues the major upgrade of Bourke Police Station, backed by $16.2 million.

Building for Western NSW’s future

This Budget includes investments in Western NSW, including:

• $10.5 million to upgrade Western NSW airports including the White Cliffs airstrip and Bourke Airport to improve safety and reliability for emergency and general aviation.
• $10.4 million to deliver major upgrades to the Dubbo PCYC that will boost local sporting facilities and deliver life changing opportunities for young people.
• Continuing the $10 million Western NSW Work force activation package to establish, expand or upgrade early childhood education and care, giving women across western NSW greater opportunities to re-enter the workforce.

Responsible decisions make these investments possible

This Budget can provide cost-of-living relief and continue investing in essential services because the Government has spent the past three years making responsible and difficult decisions to strengthen the state’s finances.

That work has been done without privatisation and without bringing back an unfair wages cap, while keeping public assets in public hands and maintaining an independent umpire for wages and conditions.

As global uncertainty and higher fuel prices place additional pressure on families and businesses, this Budget provides support now while continuing the work of returning the state’s finances to surplus in 2027-28.

It’s about supporting families today, while securing NSW’s future.