Better protection for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence

Nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men in Australia have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15.

This Budget funds new solutions costing $245.6 million. This is on top of the $5.1 billion Building Homes for NSW program to support families, including those escaping violence.

Improving support for victims

• $48.1 million to secure and increase funding for specialist workers who provide support for children accompanying their mothers to refuges, expanding their presence from 20 to 30 refuges.
• $48.0 million to roll out the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program state-wide and to expand the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service (IDFVS). This funding will expand SHLV across the remaining 37 LGAs – two-thirds of which are in regional NSW.
• $45.0 million to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence, including reforms that will make it more difficult for those accused of serious domestic violence offences to get bail.
• $29.6 million to enable the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service to meet the increasing demand of victim-survivors who require support navigating the justice system.
• $700,000 for the NSW Domestic Violence Line (DV line) to continue its 24/7 service providing counselling for women experiencing violence and referring them directly to services offering hands-on support.

Better prevention

• $38.3 million for the implementation of NSW’s first dedicated Primary Prevention Strategy.
• $10.0 million for Men’s Behaviour Change programs that focus on working with men to enable them to recognise their violent behaviour and develop strategies to prevent the use of violence.
• $8.1 million for the ‘All in’ early childhood pilot, to prevent domestic violence by teaching young children about healthy relationships.
• $5.0 million for workforce training on the implementation of a newly developed risk assessment framework, and other priority areas.
• $5.0 million in funding for research into perpetrators and effective interventions.
• $2.1 million to extend the Corrective Services program EQUIPS Domestic and Family Violence to assist with shifting the mindset and behaviours of offenders.
• $3.6 million to expand services through Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW).
• $2.1 million for the Domestic Violence Death Review Team to develop evidencebased responses to family violence.

Better support for our community

The NSW Government is building better policing facilities, upgrading technology, and driving more recruitment to ensure officers have what they need to investigate crime and keep our communities safe.

Police and justice

• $126.6 million for a boost to Legal Aid and one year funding for the Walama List.
• $66.9 million to divert young people away from police and courts through investment in community programs.
• $40.3 million for legal officers in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to maintain service levels and continue prosecuting serious criminal offences.
• Additional training in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute industrial manslaughter cases.
• $38.2 million to deliver service improvements across the Justice portfolio, including upgrading cyber security protections for the NSW Trustee and Guardian, expanding the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and replacing the Youth Justice Client IT system.
• Upgrade of Waverley and Rose Bay police stations at a cost of $22.9 million.
• Implementation of the National Firearms Register to enhance the sharing of timely and accurate firearms information. This project is expected to cost $20.8 million, and will be equally funded by the NSW and Australian Governments.
• The NSW Government is also taking action to boost police recruitment to address the critical shortage of police officers and enhance community safety across the State. This Budget includes $17.3 million to support the Government’s election commitment to increase officers in Western Sydney.
• $14.2 million to improve the capability of forensic evidence and technical services.
• $10.3 million for the Strategic Hosting Data Centre to deliver digital, and information-based policing.
• $6.3 million for the Cladding Remediation Project to improve NSW Police Stations.
• $5.0 million to deliver community-based initiatives to strengthen youth resilience to violent extremism.
• $1.4 million will help fund PCYC club expenses so the organisation can continue to guide young people towards fulfilling lives.

More help for those in need

• $224.1 million to build a better foster care system, including reforming the Out-of-Home-Care sector.
• $7.1 million for the cross-agency Disability Reform Taskforce.
• $2.0 million for the Return to Work Pathways Program to reduce barriers for women entering or re-entering the workforce.

Local Government

$37.4 million additional funding to build up the capacity of the Office of Local Government.

Supporting businesses and protecting consumers

Service NSW Business Bureau

The NSW Government’s commitment to assisting small business will continue in the 2024-25 Budget. The recently created Service NSW Business Bureau has been allocated an additional $5.0 million, bringing the total investment in 2024-25 to $30.0 million.

The Service NSW Business Bureau will focus on delivering key programs and services for small businesses, including assisting small businesses to navigate regulations, access support to grow their business, access government contracts and overseas markets; and tackle unproductive red tape.

In the first six months of operating, the Service NSW Business Bureau has been able to service more than 100,000 businesses, and deliver more than 20,000 hours of free, tailored advice to small businesses in one-on-one sessions addressing business-critical topics such as planning, marketing and cash flow.

The Service NSW Business Bureau has been critical in assisting businesses impacted by disasters, including those affected by the tragic events in Bondi Westfield and businesses impacted by sinkholes from the M6 tunnel.

The Service NSW Business Bureau is focused on supporting every customer, in every community, with the website translated in 70 languages.

Since the launch of the Service NSW Business Bureau App, more than 75,000 businesses have used the app to access government support, manage transactions, and save and track industry licences in just a few taps.

Better planning and building, better for businesses and consumers

Getting more housing approved means more work for businesses in building, construction and related industries. Additionally, $11.4 million for the low and mid-rise Housing Pattern Book and design competition will assist firms and further streamline planning approval processes by standardising building designs.

Consumers will benefit when $35.0 million for the NSW Building Commission supports its efforts to assure new home-buyers of the quality of their build.

Payroll tax relief to bulk-billing GP clinics

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 eases cost of living pressures on families and households by ensuring clinics don’t pass on additional costs to patients.

Building a strong and secure digital future

• $205.0 million for cyber security and ID Support NSW to build cyber resilience and help people affected by a data breach.
• $62.5 million to roll out digital licensing to 80 NSW qualifications, making applications faster and more convenient.
• $21.4 million to help build a NSW Digital ID and Wallet to make proving your identity and qualifications easier and more secure.

Relief and recovery

The 2021 and 2022 floods which impacted the Northern Rivers and Central West were some of the most devastating in Australian history. Through the NSW Reconstruction Authority, the Government is working with communities to help recover and build resilience. This Budget invests $5.7 billion, including co-contributions from the Australian Government, 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 Central West
• $632.4 million to continue delivering new and safe housing across the Northern Rivers and Central West, including $525.0 million to support voluntary buybacks, raisings, repairs and retrofits through the Resilient Homes Program
• $303.5 million to repair and rebuild water, sewerage, and community infrastructure, and improve the resilience of infrastructure for future disasters
• $94.7 million for critical resources in flood rescue coordination, operational enhancements, and fleet expansion. This will help to fulfil recommendations made in the 2022 flood inquiries and mitigate the impact of future floods and natural disasters on NSW communities
• $6.5 million for the Spontaneous Volunteers Support Program to support better coordination of community efforts to save lives and property during disasters.

Enhancing our emergency response

• $189.5 million increased funding for 286 existing firefighters who did not have ongoing funding in previous budgets.
• $15.4 million to establish a new 24-hour fire station at Badgerys Creek ahead of the opening of the new Western Sydney Airport.
• $2.4 million for the state-wide Disaster Response Legal Service, the only specialist disaster legal service in NSW.

Read the full budget overview here.