Other Positive Budget Announcements

Essentially the 2022-23 State Budget contains limited good news for local government, and many of the announcements and inclusions require significantly more detail than that provided on Tuesday. However, there is a series of allocations which LGNSW believes will benefit our communities, even though they may not involve direct funding support to councils.

The following Budget inclusions are well worth celebrating:

• A total four-year funding package of almost $70 million to enable Construct NSW to continue broadening the building industry reforms commenced by the Building Commissioner in 2019. The package is comprised of $67.7 million in recurrent expenses and $2.2 in capital expenses, and we applaud ongoing investment in reforms that are critical if homebuyers are to have confidence in the biggest investment they will ever make.
  
  
• A significant investment in the prevention of domestic violence. This includes $69 million towards more integrated support systems for DV survivors and $4.8 million allocated to the Respect at Work Taskforce to develop resources for workers, businesses and HR professionals and undertake regulatory activity. As a sector we are committed to the safety and wellbeing of our workforce of almost 50,000, and are keen to play our part in combatting this invidious social issue.
  
  
• A new Biodiversity Credit Supply Fund, established with a Budget allocation of $106.7 million. This initiative is expected to make biodiversity credits easier to secure and ensure they are more efficiently priced, in line with LGNSW’s calls for increased support for those wanting to create biodiversity, and for mechanisms to facilitate the creation of these credits in the same areas where development is occurring.

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