Rego Cuts, Fare Freeze: Drivers, Families and Health Lead the Way in NSW Budget

The NSW Government’s pre-election budget focuses on easing cost-of-living pressures with targeted relief for households, commuters and essential services.

Key points:

Drivers and commuters will benefit from rego discounts, a lower toll cap and a freeze on public transport fares.
Families will receive significant childcare and preschool fee relief, alongside energy-saving subsidies for low-income households.
Major investment in health, education, infrastructure and domestic violence services aims to support growing communities across NSW.

Drivers and public transport users are considered to be some of the winners in the 2026-27 NSW Budget.

The measures are part of providing cost-of-living relief as many Australians continue to struggle under ongoing financial pressure.

Under Premier Chris Minns, this is the NSW Government’s last budget before the March 2027 election.

“We are providing relief for the immediate cost-of-living pressures working families are facing today,” NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said.

“We are building a high-wage economy, which is vital for working families at a time of high interest rates.”

Commuters

As uncertainty in the Middle East continues to affect fuel prices, the NSW Government is delivering “practical relief” for drivers.

For the next 12 months, residents will receive:

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$100 off car registration;

$80 off motorcycle registration;

A lowering of the toll cap to $50 a week.

For public transport users, there will be a freezing of Opal fares at 2025 prices, “to help families with the everyday cost of getting around,” a government statement read.

Families

Parents and caregivers of young children will get relief through help with daycare costs.

Households with three to five-year-olds in preschool care will be eligible for up to $4,456 in fee relief.

Those who have children in long-day care preschool will be eligible for up to $2,563 in relief.

Low-income households

As part of the NSW Energy Saver Program, households earning up to $80,000 per year will be eligible for discounts for various types of energy-saving upgrades.

This includes installation of solar panels, batteries, double-glazed windows, and draft-proofing.

Households can also access:

A $250 washing machine through the Washing Machine Exchange program;

30 per cent off the upfront cost of a small-scale home battery (through the Cheaper Home Batteries program);

An average discount of up to $500 to connect a home battery to a virtual power plant.

Western Sydney

The Government will invest $3.8 billion in infrastructure in Western Sydney.

This includes $910 million for the new Rouse Hill hospital and a $400 million joint investment with the Federal Government to improve Windsor Road.

The Government is also investing $4.1 billion to develop new primary schools in Austral South, Oran Park North, Bella Vista West, and new high schools in Bella Vista, Rydalmere, and more.

Health

More than $10 billion will be delivered to health services – including for higher wages, extra health workers and more surgeries. This will mean:

9000 more health workers;

2900 extra planned surgeries each year;

$20.4 million over four years for post-operative care for children with cochlear implants.

The funding also includes the largest pay increase for nurses and midwives in more than twenty years, with a further $2.9 billion for higher wages and improved conditions.

Domestic Violence

Frontline domestic and family violence programs will get an additional $184.1 million in funding over the next four years.

The Safer Pathway program (for victim-survivors) will receive $76.1 million, and the Staying Home Leaving Violence program and Integrated DFV services program will receive $54 million.

Programs including Men’s Behavioural Change and the Domestic Violence Response Enhancement will also receive funding under the package.

Other measures

$9.2 billion to help deliver more than 260 new and upgraded schools, with more than a quarter in regional NSW;

50 per cent increase in frontline domestic and family violence services;

$6.5 billion to deliver thousands of new electric buses and electric bus depots;

$632 million (over five years) to the Thriving Kids program, for children (eight and under) who have developmental delay or autism;

$154.2 million to improve outcomes for First Nations people in NSW, including 45.3 million in Closing the Gap initiatives.

“We are determined to make sure NSW remains the premier state to raise a family, get an education, start a business, make a contribution, where hard work pays off,” Treasurer Mookhey said.

“We are building a NSW where everyone can thrive.”

Feature image: Canva Pro

Mike Crooks

Michael Crooks is a senior journalist with more than 15 yearsí experience in magazine reporting, writing and editing, and more than 5 years’ experience in digital content production. He is a former news editor of Who magazine and his work has appeared in People, Marie Claire, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, news.com.au, Qantas magazine and more.