The NSW Labor government will spend $5.1 billion on building 8400 social homes – with half of those specifically for women and children fleeing domestic violence – in the biggest investment in public housing in the state’s history.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s second budget will also see the government make its first policy intervention into supporting bulk billing by providing a full rebate on payroll tax to doctors who bulk bill 80 per cent of patients in metropolitan Sydney.
The move, which will cost the budget $189 million, is designed to ease the pressure on the state’s strained emergency departments, which have been taking the load as bulk billing rates declined.
NSW Health says for every 1 per cent reduction in bulk-billing, there are 3000 extra presentations each year at emergency departments.
The spend will also include $104 million to waive historical payroll tax liabilities for clinics with contractor GPs.
Mookhey said the budget was one of “must-haves” and “careful in difficult economic times”.
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