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2016-2017 NSW Budget key areas of spending

The state’s infrastructure and services have received a boost in the 2016-17 NSW Budget.

Key areas of spending include:
Jobs and investment

• $190 million to Jobs for NSW, a private sector and NSW Government-backed initiative to help drive government policy in order to grow the economy and create jobs
• $100 million over two years for Smart, Skilled and Hired, a targeted youth unemployment program, to create new work pathways including traineeships and apprenticeships
• $97 million in 2016-17 for new and improved TAFE facilities across the state
• Grants of up to $2,000 for small businesses when they hire new employees
• $10 million through social impact investment to support regions with high youth unemployment
• $100 million for the Environmental Trust to increase opportunities for the community, industry and agencies to protect their environments
• $111 million for public parklands, zoos and gardens throughout the state for community enjoyment, scientific research, education, sport, recreation, leisure and cultural experiences
• $194 million in recurrent grants for cultural institutions and $78 million for cultural infrastructure projects and upgrades to enhance cultural, creative and recreational opportunities and create jobs.

Health

• $9.2 billion for inpatient hospital services as well as $2.8 billion for outpatient services
• $2.7 billion for emergency care
• $375 million for expected increases in hospital activity including 79,000 more emergency department attendances and 4,500 more elective surgery patients
• $1.8 billion for mental health services
• $14 million to tackle childhood obesity, supporting children and families to be healthy and active.

Education

• $12 billion in 2016–17 for government schools to deliver quality teaching services to students and $1.2 billion in support for non-government schools
• $542 million over four years for a combination of new schools, upgrades to existing schools and improved facilities
• $367 million for the National Education Reform Agreement (Gonski)
• $400 million over four years to deliver more classrooms and schools in key student growth areas
• $38 million over four years for regional and remote preschools to enhance preschool participation of Aboriginal and low income families
• $38 million to enable 1,000 of the state’s best teachers to mentor and coach other teachers
• $330 million over the next two years to respond to priority backlog maintenance needs in schools across NSW.

Roads and Transport

• $1.5 billion for the Pacific Highway to continue the duplication program
• $1.5 billion for road maintenance, including bridge rebuilding, pavement rehabilitation and traffic facilities maintenance
• $2.7 billion in 2016-17 to deliver Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project
• $1.4 billion for bus services throughout NSW including rural and regional bus services and school services in country areas
• $1 billion over the next four years for trains on the existing suburban network.

Housing

• $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund will be established to facilitate new housing stock to support vulnerable households
• $41 million of new funding over four years is being provided to the Greater Sydney Commission to support the planned growth in housing supply to assist the Commission in metropolitan planning in partnership between state and local governments
• $1.0 million to develop the Greenfield Building Code to help convert housing approvals into homes
• $53 million to deliver new, and upgrade existing housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• The government is introducing surcharges for foreign investors in residential real estate that is expected to generate more than $1.0 billion in revenue over four years.

Protecting the vulnerable

• $1.3 billion in 2016-17 for the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in NSW
• $190 million over four years in new funding to reform the child protection and out-of-home care systems, initiatives include; intensive preservation services, restoration services and services for Aboriginal children and their families
• $8 million over four years for a Suicide Prevention Fund to prevent suicide in our communities
• $300 million over the next four years in specialist domestic violence initiatives
• $146 million over four years to assist with the additional Syrian Refugee intake and to support their integration into the community
• $76m to community housing providers to fund leasing subsidies for vulnerable people in the private rental market

Safer communities

• $570 million over four years to implement reforms that protect community safety, speed up the court processes and reduce reoffending
• $57 million will be spent on new or upgraded police stations
• $36 million towards the  Policing for Tomorrow Technology fund to equip police with the best technology to do their jobs
• $3.8 billion will be provided over four years for the Prison Bed Capacity Program to provide about 7,000 additional beds in our prisons
• $10 million in new funding over five years to establish a rewards scheme for information leading to the discovery and seizure of illegal firearms.
• $40.3 million for the Countering Violent Extremism program to prevent terror attacks.

More information:

Visit the NSW Budget 2016-17 website.

Find out what’s happening in your area with the NSW Budget mapping tool.