Media Release The Committee for Sydney has welcomed the 2026-27 NSW Budget’s investments in cost of living relief, buses, schools, mental health and public spaces – while warning that for NSW households, disposable incomes remain stuck in 2019.
Eamon Waterford, CEO, Committee for Sydney: “This is a fairness budget but without a growth story, it’s short on the hope our city needs.”
“The state’s economy grew just 1% this year, and household disposable budgets are the same as they were seven years ago – that’s why the government finds itself reaching for cost-of-living relief year after year, but we can’t grow our economy on toll rebates alone.
“The job of government isn’t to run the economy, but it is to shape it – to share the pie more fairly and to grow the pie over time – and this budget does the first job well.
“This budget will materially improve the lives of the most vulnerable people in our community, with a landmark $9b commitment to schools and early childhood education and care, and $10.3b in health funding.
“The next wave of reform has to do two things at once: embed the long-term savings from investing in social equity – fewer people cycling through emergency departments, fewer children falling behind, fewer families in crisis – and redirect those savings into growing the economic pie.
“Not all cost of living measures are equal, and we need to be honest about that. The best relieve immediate pressure while moving us towards the city we’re trying to build.
“The $557m Home Energy Saver Program is fantastic program – it cuts household bills today and accelerates decarbonisation for tomorrow. While the toll rebate is well-intentioned, at more than $200m a year, it’s funding that could be invested into new roads, rail lines, homes or jobs close to where people live.”
Jeremy Gill, Head of Policy, Committee for Sydney: “We’ve been urging the NSW Government to lean into economic development, and this budget answers that call in part.”
“The alignment of transport and housing objectives with industrial policy – building the homes and buses NSW needs, in NSW – shows a government that sees procurement for the economic lever it is, not just a line item on the budget.
“It genuinely excites us to see the government beginning to join the dots between housing, transport and building new industries. Building more MMC homes and more zero emissions buses right here in NSW – not just buying outcomes, but growing local capability – is the integrated economic thinking Sydney’s been waiting for.
“The $6.5 billion investment to accelerate the zero emissions bus transition was essential. You can’t move the needle on transport emissions without fleet renewal at scale. But buses only work if the network keeps growing – services must go where people need to go, frequently enough to be worth choosing over a car.
“What’s missing in this budget is a focus on the future industries that can transform Sydney’s economy – the high-value, future-focused and export-oriented industries such as medtech, quantum and AI that are central to NSW’s future productivity, jobs creation and economic growth.”