Over the past few years, regional NSW has been hit by bushfires, drought, floods, a global pandemic and rising interest rates, exacerbating a cost-of-living crisis.

The 2024-25 Budget doesn’t just seek to address these crises, it sets the foundation to build a better NSW.

This Budget focuses on supporting the economic development and wellbeing of regional communities through new hospitals and preschools, bringing more frontline workers to the regions and increasing housing supply.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring regional communities have access to world class healthcare and infrastructure to support better health outcomes. This Budget includes $265.0 million to upgrade the Port Macquarie Hospital and $200.1 million to increase accommodation for health workers across rural and regional NSW.

Our regions are facing a housing and homelessness crisis, with more people being priced out of their community. The NSW Government remains committed to improving housing accessibility and affordability. This Budget includes $5.1 billion to build 8,400 social homes, including priority homes for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.

Protecting NSW businesses and farmers by investing in biosecurity will safeguard jobs and support access to premium export markets. Tackling ever-present biosecurity threats and supporting good land management practices are key parts of this effort, with $945.7 million allocated over the next four years.

The NSW Government remains committed to helping regional communities to rebuild after the devastating impacts of natural disasters in recent years. This Budget invests $5.7 billion, including Australian Government co-contributions, to continue natural disaster support and response programs across NSW.

Regional workers and their contributions are essential to the NSW economy, contributing to around a quarter of NSW Gross State Product. Together we can build a better NSW.

Improving housing accessibility and affordability

The NSW Government is committed to improving housing supply to drive down the cost of renting and make home ownership more affordable.

Building on planning reforms that make it easier and faster to deliver housing across the State, the NSW Government is taking action to build better homes and infrastructure for our regional communities. This Budget also delivers social housing for women and children leaving domestic and family violence, as well as support for renters.

The 2024-25 Budget includes:

• $5.1 billion to build 8,400 social homes, including priority homes for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence
• $253.7 million to bolster the State’s planning system, including to assess more development applications and deliver additional State-led rezonings, which will support housing supply across NSW, including in regional areas
• $11.8 million to resource the activities of the Property and Strata Commissioner
• $8.4 million to resource the activities of the Rental Commissioner
• $6.6 million to upgrade the Yass Valley Water Treatment Plant to improve the quality of drinking water and support up to 1,580 new dwellings in Murrumbateman and Yass
• $5.0 million for Landcom to deliver an additional ten build-to-rent dwellings in Bomaderry, with 60 dwellings now to be delivered through a total Government investment of $35.0 million.

A further $85.0 million has also been allocated from the Housing Infrastructure Fund in Restart NSW, as part of a total State and local council investment of $201.9 million. This will help fast‑track infrastructure in growing regional communities, supporting the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes from Tweed Heads to Wagga Wagga.

Strenghtening our education system

All children in NSW deserve the best possible start to life, through access to quality teaching and essential school infrastructure. The NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment to build 100 new public preschools across NSW, with half to be built in the regions.

The NSW Government is also continuing to address teacher shortages in regional, rural and remote parts of NSW through the Priority Recruitment Support program. This program allows schools with longstanding vacancies to advertise a recruitment bonus of up to $20,000, and a relocation support package of up to $8,000 for eligible teachers. An additional 26 regional schools have been added to this program to help attract quality teachers wanting to teach outside of metropolitan areas.

The 2024-25 Budget provides $1.4 billion for regional education infrastructure, to deliver projects such as:

• a new primary school in Huntlee
• a new high school in Huntlee
• a new primary school at Calderwood
• an expansion of Googong Public School Upgrade - Stage 2.

Connecting regional communities through roads and transport

Transport networks and roads are critical to life in regional NSW, connecting communities to one another and supporting the movement of goods produced in our regions to national and international markets.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that the roads and transport networks used by regional, rural and remote communities daily are reliable and safe, so people can travel to work, education and health facilities, visit family and friends and keep our supply chains moving.

The 2024-25 Budget includes:

• $3.3 billion to repair State and local roads in areas impacted by natural disasters across NSW, as part of a $5.7 billion total investment in disaster relief and recovery over four years to 2027‑28 jointly funded by the Australian Government
• $1.4 billion to continue construction of the M1 to Raymond Terrace extension and Hexham Straight Widening projects
• $1.2 billion to continue delivering a new rail fleet to replace the ageing regional fleets to improve safety, accessibility, amenities and reliability
• $1.1 billion to continue Princes Highway projects including construction of the Milton Ulladulla bypass, Jervis Bay Road intersection upgrade and Jervis Bay Road to Hawken Road upgrade
• $926.0 million to continue construction of the Coffs Harbour bypass
• $462.9 million to continue construction of the Singleton Bypass – New England Highway Corridor

• $442.7 million to continue planning and early work activities for the Muswellbrook bypass, to improve travel times for long-haul freight movements and safety for all road users on the New England Highway (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $432.2 million to continue the delivery of Parkes bypass, new Dubbo Bridge, heavy duty pavement upgrades, and investigations to develop and deliver flood mitigation solutions on the Newell Highway between West Wyalong and Forbes (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $290.0 million additional funding for the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program, bringing the total investment to $2.8 billion. This investment will deliver state‑wide targeted and proven initiatives to improve road safety across NSW, including in regional areas
• $216.3 million to continue planning and early works on the Wyong Town Centre upgrade (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $200.3 million to continue construction of the duplication of 1.1 kilometres of the Great Western Highway through Medlow Bath, and duplication on the Little Hartley to Lithgow section of the Great Western Highway at Coxs River Road (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $138.7 million to continue improvements on the Barton Highway
• $132.0 million to enable grade separations on the Inland Rail alignment south of Parkes (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $97.5 million to continue the upgrade of Avoca Drive to improve traffic flow and deliver infrastructure for active and public transport access through Kincumber (NSW and Australian Government funded)
• $66.2 million to continue the Fixing Country Rail Program to deliver improved movement of freight and increase reliability of the regional rail network
• $59.4 million to continue planning for the Mandalong Road upgrade
• $39.8 million over four years to continue planning and design for Gosford Bypass, under the Regional Roads Fund
• $38.9 million to continue the Tumbi Road and Central Coast Highway intersection upgrade
• $36.4 million to continue the development and delivery of safety upgrades on the Bells Line of Road
• $28.6 million allocated to contribute to building new heavy vehicle rest stops that will help combat driver fatigue
• $22.5 million to continue pavement surface upgrades on the Hume Highway at Marulan
• $21.3 million to continue improving safety, reliability and travel times on Waterfall Way
• $20.9 million to continue widening of the Marshalls Creek bridge and reduce congestion in Wagga Wagga
• $10.0 million for the Illawarra Rail Resilience Plan to determine options to upgrade and rebuild infrastructure along the South Coast Line.

Supporting regional economic development

Regional and rural NSW is home to a diverse range of export industries that are vital for our State’s economic growth. The NSW Government is taking a fresh approach to how it invests in the regions to make sure we can help meet the needs of all communities.

The Regional Development Trust (the Trust) will deliver improved social and economic outcomes for regional NSW, with a focus on:

• sustainable regional industries
• First Nations economic development and enterprise
• community connection and capacity building
• improving regional service delivery.

As part of the 2024-25 Budget, the NSW Government is investing an additional $50.0 million into the Trust, bringing the total commitment to $400.0 million.

The Government has also announced the first tranche of investments from the Trust, which includes:

• $15.0 million to improve rural and remote airstrips across NSW, ensuring they are accessible year‑round
• $10.0 million for a Western NSW Workforce Activation Package to establish, expand or upgrade early childhood and education care across Bourke, Broken Hill and Cobar
• $5.0 million for an Aboriginal Economic Development Package to support First Nations businesses and organisations to identify and execute commercial opportunities, leading to improved economic and employment outcomes.

The NSW Government is delivering transformational infrastructure, principally funded from the Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund, in strategic regional centres to support the economic development of the State. This includes the continuation of:

• $332.2 million to transform Parkes into a national freight and logistics hub
• $283.4 million over the next four years to enhance digital connectivity for rural, regional and remote NSW communities, providing faster and more reliable telecommunications
• $224.8 million to support Moree becoming a thriving business hub, with sustainable water endowments and new technologies to support diversifying its strong agricultural economy
• $212.2 million for Wagga Wagga to be a sustainable hub of high-value agricultural and food manufacturing, supporting industries and businesses to connect to the world
• $196.3 million in the Snowy Mountains region for essential infrastructure to support housing and year-round tourism
• $45.0 million to support farmers and agribusinesses in the adoption of digital technology and on-farm connectivity solutions, to improve resource management, boost productivity and enhance water security.

Additional investments to support regional economies include:

• $21.0 million to establish a modern, fit for purpose animal welfare framework, including additional support for Approved Charitable Organisations
• $17.7 million to assist in the delivery of social and environmental outcomes in state forests that are not used for wood production
• $5.0 million to provide low-interest loans to eligible small and medium businesses to encourage economic growth and employment in regional NSW
• $4.0 million to continue the award‑winning Holiday Break program, delivering recreational programs to young people during school holidays
• $3.0 million for Regional and Community Newspaper Support, to better support regional media in diversifying and expanding digital content.

Supporting the transition to a clean energy future

NSW has a long history of coal mining and coal-powered generation, with mining communities in regional areas contributing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the NSW economy. These communities are at the forefront of the transition to a cleaner energy future.

The NSW Government is working closely with mining communities and industry, within a strong regulatory framework, to ensure this transition is managed carefully. The clean energy transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create jobs of the future for our regions.

This Budget supports regional communities in making the necessary transition to clean energy generation, with key investments including:

• $128.5 million for regional road upgrades and infrastructure at the Newcastle Port to enable the transport of equipment components to Renewable Energy Zone projects
• $15.2 million for mine rehabilitation and closure, and to support health and safety for mine workers in NSW.

The NSW Government is continuing to deliver critical energy infrastructure to supply lower cost and more reliable energy, with the continuation of the Transmission Acceleration Facility.

Additionally, the Government will establish Future Jobs and Investment Authorities to guide community transition from coal‑based economies toward other activity and employment opportunities.

Improving health services

Ensuring everyone across the State can access the best healthcare in a timely manner, no matter where they live, remains a priority for the NSW Government.

Recruitment and retention of healthcare workers is a key challenge and this Budget builds on existing investments to strengthen our health workforce in rural and regional communities.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring primary healthcare remains affordable and accessible to families and households in regional NSW.

The $188.8 million Bulk-Billing Support Initiative will protect the cost of seeing a GP and reduce the strain on our emergency departments. The initiative will ease financial pressure on GP practices by waiving historical payroll tax liabilities for contractor GPs and provide an ongoing tax rebate to clinics that meet bulk-billing thresholds.

This initiative has been designed to ease cost-of-living pressures on families and households by ensuring clinics don’t pass on additional costs to patients.

The 2024-25 Budget includes:

• $480.7 million for an Emergency Department Relief Package to further ease pressure on NSW emergency departments
• $265.0 million for the upgrade of Port Macquarie Hospital
• $200.1 million to increase key health worker accommodation across rural and regional areas. Early assessment has identified locations such as Lake Cargelligo, Tweed Heads, Lismore and Eurobodalla as examples of areas of need
• $274.7 million to ensure health services can deliver additional care to our communities. This includes an additional 250 healthcare workers across the State, a significant portion of whom will work at regional hospitals including Cooma Hospital, Cowra Health Service, Glen Innes Hospital, Griffith Base Hospital, Tweed Hospital and Wentworth Health Service
• $130.9 million for a Family Start Package to provide early intervention programs to boost lifelong maternal and child health outcomes. This package includes:
• $40.0 million for Essential Services to Support Vulnerable Children. This will provide enhanced allied health and juvenile arthritis services, as well as additional regional assessment services and interventions in isolated communities, for families with children in their first 2,000 days of life
• $21.3 million for the Waminda Birth Centre and Community Hub for First Nations women and families on the South Coast to give birth in line with traditional cultural practice.
• $111.8 million package to support community mental health and wellbeing by increasing the essential services available to people across NSW. This package includes:
• $40.0 million for a further investment in the Pathways to Community Living Initiative supporting alternatives to long‑term hospital care for people with complex needs, who have persistent mental illness
• $39.0 million to strengthen mental health services by establishing a new Mental Health Single Front Door¹
• $30.4 million to expand Community Mental Health Teams across targeted areas, including in regional NSW, caring for those who experience persistent and complex mental illness.
• Commencing works to expand the Bombala Multipurpose Service in southern NSW, a joint initiative between the NSW Government and Australian Government.

¹The $39.0 million for Mental Health Single Front Door is part of both the Emergency Department and Mental Health total.

Investing in local support for families and communities

This Budget includes $224.1 million in 2024-25 to build a better foster care system, including reforming the Out‑of-Home-Care (OOHC) sector.

This investment will better support the 14,000 children and young people who cannot live safely at home. This builds on current Government investment in early intervention and family preservation programs, that keep local communities safer and stronger.

These programs in community organisations and neighbourhood centres across our regions and broader NSW provide family preservation services to help keep children safe at home with their families, and prevent future contact with the child protection, OOHC and criminal justice systems.

Enhancing essential services

The NSW Government employs over 400,000 people across NSW, delivering essential services to regional communities.

This Budget continues to rebuild public services through supporting essential workers, addressing critical staff vacancies, collaborating with the State’s workforce, and delivering long-term wage growth.

The Government has already delivered professional rates of pay for paramedics in recognition of the move towards university qualification and increased registration requirements, plus expansion of the scope of paramedicine.

Building on the Government’s 4.5 per cent wage offer in 2023-24, the 2024‑25 Budget provides for a 10.5 per cent wage increase over three years to benefit NSW public sector workers (inclusive of superannuation).

The NSW Government is also taking action to strengthen the emergency services workforce across NSW. This Budget includes $189.5 million for Fire and Rescue NSW to permanently maintain 286 ongoing firefighter positions, approximately 70 of which are based in regional areas.

The NSW Government will also launch the You Should Be a Cop in Your Hometown program. This program will help ensure people from regional NSW serve in or near their hometown after they graduate from the Goulburn Police Academy. Since the NSW Government announced paid study for recruits, there has been a more than 40 per cent increase in applications, compared to the same period last year.

Additionally, the NSW Government is expanding its Welcome Experience concierge service, providing support for essential workers and their families to settle into regional communities, ensuring these communities have equitable access to high quality public services.

Relieving cost-of-living pressures

Households across the State, including regional communities, are facing higher living costs. In 2024-25, the NSW Government will provide around $8.7 billion to households to assist with growing cost-of-living pressures. The 2024‑25 Budget includes:

• $435.4 million in 2024-25 for energy rebates and concessions. This is in addition to the Australian Government’s $300 energy bill relief payment
• $89.8 million over four years in water rebates to eligible pensioners and others experiencing financial hardship, to maintain access to water and waste‑water services in the Hunter Valley and Far West NSW.

Continuation of:

• the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, providing financial assistance towards travel and accommodation costs when a patient needs to travel long distances for specialised healthcare that is not available locally
• free parking at all rural and regional public hospitals.

Responding to biosecurity threats

NSW is home to more than 39,000 agricultural businesses, 42,000 farms and 66,000 people employed in the agricultural sector, contributing more than $15 billion to the NSW economy. The NSW Government plays a central role in protecting our economy, environment and community from pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants.

This Budget commits $945.7 million over four years to continue this critical role of scientific research, prevention and protection, and to maintain good land management practices. This includes:

• $55.3 million for the eradication of red imported fire ants, protecting communities, agricultural production, and native plants and animals
• $36.2 million to increase the resilience and capacity of beekeepers, horticulture and other industries in managing Varroa mite incursions
• $25.0 million to support specialist scientific skills to boost the State’s frontline surveillance and preventative capabilities to defend against biosecurity risks
• $13.1 million for the continuation of the Feral Pig and Other Pest Management Control program
• $10.4 million for the Weeds Action Program to reduce the impact of weeds through the implementation of the NSW Invasive Species Plan and the NSW Biosecurity Strategy
• $6.2 million to target White Spot disease, supporting prawn fishers, farmers and businesses
• $5.8 million to continue implementing the Good Neighbour Program to tackle weed and pest infestations between neighbouring public and private lands
• appointing an Independent Biosecurity Commissioner to protect our environment and biodiversity, economy and community from the harm and impacts of pests and weeds.

Protecting our environment

The NSW Government remains committed to protecting our beautiful natural environment and ensuring future generations can enjoy it.

• $307.2 million to improve water security for regional communities and industries, as well as improving environmental water quality for recreation, river health and wildlife habitat through the delivery of the Safe and Secure Water Program. This investment will also support key infrastructure projects for the upgrade of the pump station along the Nyngan to Cobar Pipeline and to deliver upgrades to water security infrastructure at Wilcannia and Eurobodalla
• $75.1 million to maintain and improve our national parks, including visitor infrastructure
• $14.4 million to repair Crown Lands assets, including dams, quarries and community infrastructure
• $11.3 million for the Reducing Leakage and Improving Water Efficiency program to better prepare NSW to adapt to drought and climate variability by increasing water efficiency
• delivering Murray-Darling Basin Plan commitments in partnership with the Australian Government to support river health, access to water and better water efficiencies. This includes:
• $351.4 million to 2026-27, from the Australian Government for the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism acceleration program to achieve similar or improved environmental outcomes for rivers, wetlands and wildlife using less water as part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
• $67.8 million from the Australian Government for the Northern Basin Toolkit to improve the ecological health of Northern Basin rivers through environmental infrastructure
• $25.6 million over the next four years to support outcomes across the Murray-Darling Basin through the delivery of a water reforms package designed to support targeted water savings measures, reforms to water markets, improved compliance and reporting, and to support water ownership and management by First Nations people
• an additional $18.2 million from the Australian Government for the Reconnecting River Country Program to increase the frequency and extent that rivers connect to wetlands and floodplains in the Murray and Murrumbidgee river systems
• $10.5 million from the Australian Government over the years to 2026‑27 for the Murray Darling Basin Telemetry Uplift Program to improve compliance of water take in the Murray Darling Basin.

Investing in disaster response and recovery

Regional NSW communities and industries are more vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters and have experienced some of the largest natural disasters in the nation’s history in recent years.

The NSW Government continues to provide support to the communities recovering and rebuilding following those events, as well as planning and preparing to limit the impact of future natural disasters.

This Budget invests $5.7 billion over four years, including Australian Government co-contributions, to continue natural disaster support and recovery programs. This includes:

• $3.3 billion for restoration works to repair local and State roads damaged in major flood events, including in the Northern Rivers and the Central West
• $2 billion for other disaster relief and recovery programs funded through the Disaster Relief Account (DRA) administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority. Key programs include:
• $525.0 million for the Resilient Homes Program across the Northern Rivers and Central West, to support voluntary buybacks and increase the flood resilience of existing houses through raisings, repairs and retrofits. This includes an additional $90 million of NSW Government funding for the Resilient Homes Program – Tranche 2 in the Northern Rivers
• $282.7 million for the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package for the planning, development and delivery of priority local and State transport infrastructure resiliency works
• $159.3 million from the Infrastructure Betterment Fund to rebuild and improve the resilience of State and local infrastructure to future natural disasters
• $24.5 million for the Community Assets Program to repair, restore and improve community infrastructure damaged by natural disasters, supporting social recovery in affected communities.
• $116.7 million to repair critical water and sewerage infrastructure damaged in declared natural disasters
• $94.7 million for the NSW State Emergency Service to invest in critical resources to effectively respond to future floods and natural disasters. This includes enhancements to flood rescue training and capability, and improvements in flood rescue coordination, operational capability, public information and community engagement
• $87.4 million for the Resilient Lands Program to unlock new home and land options in safe locations in the Northern Rivers
• $20.0 million for the NSW Land and Housing Corporation to continue to deliver replacement, substitute and new social housing across flood impacted locations in Northern NSW
• $3.0 million to help flood survivors get back into their homes following the 2022 floods in Lismore by supporting the Two Rooms Project.

Empowering First Nations communities

The NSW Government acknowledges that First Nations people are the Traditional Custodians of Australia, and the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

The Government seeks to put the voice of First Nations people at the centre of decision making, focusing on truth-telling and healing, supporting self-determination, and strengthening First Nations culture.

This Budget makes investments to support better outcomes for First Nations people, including:

• $202.6 million to support critical capital maintenance of social housing for First Nations communities across NSW
• $73.4 million to establish Keeping Places at the sites of former children’s homes, including those at Bomaderry, Cootamundra and Kinchela, to support reconciliation with Stolen Generation survivors
• $37.8 million for the Government’s obligations under Indigenous Land Use Agreements entered into with native title holders
• $21.3 million for the Waminda Birth Centre and Community Hub for First Nations women and families on the South Coast to give birth in line with traditional cultural practice
• $16.3 million to deliver Aboriginal Cultural Heritage reforms, including standalone legislation, to recognise and conserve sites of cultural significance to First Nations people
• $9.2 million to conduct on-site assessments of infrastructure and housing needs, as well as the need to address contamination in 61 Discrete Aboriginal Communities across NSW
• $5.2 million for the Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program to build capacity within First Nations businesses, organisations and communities throughout regional NSW
• $5.0 million to undertake consultation to determine a pathway to Treaty with First Nations communities
• $4.9 million to invest in Local Decision Making Alliances with First Nations community bodies, empowering communities with the design and delivery of services impacting them
• $4.0 million to deliver the Digital Songlines project, to capture stories of Stolen Generations survivors for future generations
• $3.5 million additional support for the continued implementation of Closing the Gap initiatives
• $1.5 million to strategically investigate the settlement of Aboriginal Land claims.