This Month
Canberra wants Tomago saved – just not all on its dime
Australia needs to avoid indulging in political slush funds dressed up as “industrial policy” and pivot towards a smarter, future-looking strategy.
Taxpayers paid $907m for NSW projects that went nowhere
The Coalition has blasted nearly $1 billion of capital spending on no new infrastructure, but Labor defended its ditching of projects it said were unviable.
You promise, you pay: NSW throws Tomago rescue back to feds
The NSW Government is digging in its heels and pleading poor over the GST distribution in the face of federal pressure to bail out the Tomago aluminium smelter.
The move that would give NSW an extra $3.2b a year
States are ganging up on Western Australia’s sweetheart GST deal, which has reaped $6000 more in GST for every resident in its first four years.
Public servant wages bomb could cost NSW $300m
At least 300,000 public servants in NSW will be eligible for a $1000 cash payment if inflation hits 4.5 per cent.
Fuel price spike another reason to get on with taxing EVs: Minns
Federal Labor is going slow on a mooted electric vehicle road user charge for fear it could deter uptake. The NSW premier wants it to put the pedal to the floor.
Why Victoria gets more GST than NSW despite having 1.5m fewer people
Queensland is the biggest winner with a $2.45 billion boost while the garden state will receive about $1.4 billion in consumption tax and top-up payments.
Minns boasts of spending restraint compared with federal Labor
The NSW budget has expense growth a third the size of the Commonwealth due to “difficult decisions” on public sector wages and not writing “empty cheques”.
NSW to crack down on trusts minimising tax
Self-reporting allows some trusts to dodge land tax, but NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos says they’re in Revenue NSW’s sights.
NSW ‘amused’ by Victoria’s claim to be in the data centre race
The NSW Treasurer says the state can afford to set higher standards on power and water consumption of data centres because it is a “premium destination” for investment
February
How NSW’s investment vehicle returned 11.3pc a year
OneFund will return $2.2 billion more than would have been earned under a previous investment approach, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says.
January
Push to make 38-week golden parachute standard in NSW public service
A generous 38-week separation payment for senior executives has triggered payouts of more than $200,000. This union wants all NSW public servants to benefit.
NSW public servants took home an extra $4000 each last year
Pay satisfaction in the state’s public sector is up after an average 4 per cent rise last year, sending the median salary to almost $105,000.
States are ‘spending like they’re in lockdown’, S&P warns
Lack of fiscal discipline has pushed the states’ average credit rating to just below AA+, with NSW and Queensland on watch for further downgrades in 2026.
December 2025
Tax revenue surge saves NSW budget after $2.9b wages blowout
The Minns Labor government is preparing for an election in 2027 by winding down spending on mega-projects and promising no new metro lines after the Metro West.
$43m write-down reveals true cost of NSW’s shared home equity scheme
Shared equity schemes such as Help to Buy allow part-owners of a home the whole benefit of rent-free living. In NSW, that amounts to a $42,146 cost per property.
Sloane ends workers’ comp stalemate with deal to freeze premiums
The NSW Coalition will help Labor pass cuts to psychological injury claims in return for an 18-month premium freeze and a “return-to-work” year with benefits.
NSW taxpayers dragged into cash fight over Ukraine’s future
Kyiv is urging the Minns government to back plans to use frozen Russian cash as a war loan. NSW Treasury has a 5 per cent stake in the firm holding the money.
NSW promises households won’t pay for data centre boom
Infrastructure NSW review is considering options to charge data centres for water and electricity infrastructure, and asking them to supply their own power.
Bullying, other psych claims push workers’ compo losses near $2b
Psychological injury is the source of almost one in four claims in the public sector in NSW, and one in 10 in the private sector, putting pressure on the budget.
