Winner: First home buyers

The budget includes big reforms for people looking to enter NSW's pricey property market.

From January 16, 2023, many first home buyers will be able to elect to pay an annual land tax instead of stamp duty.

The choice will be made available to first-time buyers purchasing a home up to the value of $1.5 million.

If buyers decide to opt out of paying stamp duty, they will pay $400 plus 0.3 per cent of the land value per year.

Meanwhile, a $780 million shared-equity scheme is set to help up to 3,000 frontline workers, single parents, and singles aged over 50 buy their first home.

It would see the state contribute 40 per cent of equity for a new home, and 30 per cent for an existing home.

The scheme is similar to the policy Labor leader Anthony Albanese took to last month's federal election.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said NSW's plan would be trialled for two years.

People will need to earn a maximum of $90,000 individually or have a combined income of $120,000 per year to be eligible.

They will have to contribute a 2 per cent deposit under the scheme on homes worth up to $950,000 in metropolitan areas and $600,000 in regional areas.

Home building is also getting a cash injection with nearly $500 million in funding to "supercharge" the approval of new housing.

The planning project includes $300 million to co-fund shovel-ready infrastructure projects, $89 million to accelerate housing approvals, and $69.8 million to expedite rezoning.

Winner: Palliative care

Palliative care services in some parts of NSW will be given a multi-million-dollar boost.

The government will commit $743 million over five years to increase the number of beds and improve access to treatment and hire 600 new palliative health staffers. 

More than $90 million will be set aside to build new dedicated palliative care units at Westmead and Nepean hospitals. 

Mr Perrottet said the boost was the most important commitment in this year's budget.

"Whoever you are, wherever you are in our great state as you come to the end of your life you will have the care and support that you need and that is the sign of a true and just society," Mr Perrottet said.

Winner: Working parents

The government has locked in a $775 million commitment over the next four years to drive down childcare costs and increase the number of places.

Under the plan, the state government will give subsidies to private childcare providers, to ensure some spots will be set at certain prices.

Treasurer Matt Kean claims the changes will mean a middle-income Sydney family with one child in full-time child care in a state government-subsidised centre is expected to save up to $3,900 a year, while the saving in regional areas is predicted to be up to $7,800 a year.

The paid parental leave scheme will also be overhauled to scrap the distinction between "primary" and "secondary" carers, in a bid to help women return to the workforce earlier. 

Instead, every mother and father in the public sector will be entitled to at least 14 weeks of paid parental leave.

For mothers, there will be a grant to help them renter the workforce.

The grants will give women up to $5,000, from a $32 million budget pool for clothes, training and technology.

Meanwhile, young children in NSW will have an extra year of education under a new plan.

Beginning in 2030, the plan will affect four- and five-year-olds and fall a year before what is known as kindergarten.

The state government has committed to spending $5.8 billion over the next 10 years to make the blueprint a reality, and some of the money was set aside in the budget.

Neutral: Health 

Frontline health workers will get a one-off $3,000 "thank-you" payment for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The bonus is part of a $4.5 billion funding package for the health sector which also includes plans to hire an extra 10,000 staff (1,048 doctors, 3,517 nurses, and up to 200 midwives).

The public-sector wage cap has also been lifted to 3 per cent this year, with a further 0.5 per cent increase next year, taking it to 3.5 per cent.

Several unions in the sector have criticised the 3 per cent rise as a cut in real terms, as it is lower than inflation.

There's also $883 million set aside over the next four years to attract and retain health workers in the bush, and more than $400 million to fast-track elective surgeries delayed due to COVID-19.

Neutral: First Nations people

Community-led Indigenous initiatives will receive funding as part of a $401 million investment to help "close the gap" in life expectancy between First Nations people and the national average.

The NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations will lead the program.

When challenged on the Coalition's failures in the years they have been in office, Mr Perrottet said there were always things governments could do better.

"You've always got to be looking at new ways and innovative policy solutions. I think that's what has come through here," he said.

"I'm sick of us not getting ahead in this space."

Money will also go to agencies within the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to promote groups that safeguard Indigenous language and culture, with grants of up to $250,000.

The $401 million investment will come from a $716 million pool of funds for Indigenous housing, culture, language and community services.

It's hoped the other funds will be used to help make 4,400 homes in First Nations communities climate resistant, and build new family centres, as well as record and preserve Indigenous languages.

Neutral: Science

A total of $119 million will be injected into the research and development of ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology over the next 10 years.

Advances in this field were crucial to creating the messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines, including those produced by Pfizer and Moderna.

The investment is expected to increase NSW's capability to combat the next pandemic, as well as cancer and genetic diseases.

Science Minister Alister Henskens said the collaboration would be made between the government and 14 NSW and ACT universities.

"The value of RNA technology has been proven throughout the pandemic through the use of mRNA vaccines, but we know that vaccines are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to RNA," he said.

"By bringing together our world-leading universities and industry leaders, we can deliver innovative solutions to some of the most important and complex challenges facing the world."

Winner: Drivers

Almost half a million motorists will be eligible for quarterly rebates on their toll bills as the government tries to address the rising cost of living in NSW.

The $520 million budget commitment over the next two years will apply to drivers who spend at least $375 on tolls a year.

Drivers can get up to $750 cash back, a move that is set to benefit Western Sydney drivers who are hardest hit by tolls.

The rebate program which replaces the existing half-price registration scheme will take effect from July 1. 

Mr Kean said the cost was a "small price to pay" to ensure motorists get more cash back. 

Winner: Western Sydney

Despite rising construction costs, there's more than $600 million over the next four years in the budget to build stage two of the Parramatta Light Rail.

Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee said the investment would support the growing population along the Parramatta River. 

"This will connect people from the Parramatta CBD to Sydney Olympic Park via the growing Camellia, Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point," Mr Lee said.

Meanwhile, $60 million has been put aside to connect Parramatta to Circular Quay via a 91km pathway.

A further $2.8 billion in transport infrastructure spending affecting Western Sydney is included in the budget.

That encompasses $243.1 million to help ease congestion on Prospect Highway while $1.2 billion will be spent over the next four years to upgrade the M12 to the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport.

The airport and its surrounds is the target of significant investment, about $163 million for buildings, remediation of the site and research facilities in the precinct.

Hospitals in Rouse Hill and Liverpool will be given a share of $480 million for upgrades.

There will be $9.5 million to fix the paths in parks across the western suburbs, and $15 million to build a special fence around the Georges River Koala Reserve.

Loser: Power bills

Power is becoming more expensive and the new financial year, which starts next month, will see prices rise.

The default market offer (DMO) — the highest price a retailer can charge a customer for power — is going up between 8.5 and 14.1 per cent in NSW.

While a complex series of national and international factors are impacting Australia's electricity sector, there is no immediate relief in the NSW budget for customers.

Mr Kean also announced an investment of $1.2 billion for renewable energy transmission.

Loser: Northern beaches

Plans for a tunnel that would have connected the northern beaches to the Warringah Freeway and the rest of Sydney are on ice.

The project would have connected the peninsular to an upgraded Warringah Freeway and, ultimately, WestConnex via a new road tunnel under Sydney Harbour.

But rising construction costs meant Infrastructure NSW suggested shelving most of the state's mega-projects, and the Beaches Link was a casualty.

The project was expected to cost $6.3 billion over four years of construction and was slated for completion in 2028.

Winner: Women

Women have been prioritised in the budget. 

The biggest spend by far — more than $10 billion — has been on improving affordability and accessibility of child care, and an overhaul of the preschool system, with the aim of making it more financially viable for women to get back in the workforce.

Details of these policies can be found in the working parents section of this story.

Then there has been $100 million offered for domestic violence support services and anti-street harassment initiatives, on top of funding commitments for IVF and menopause hubs.

Winner: Students

Public schools in the state will be given $1.6 billion for upgrades and new buildings.

The education infrastructure funding will help specific schools in Albury, Concord, Lennox Head and Rouse Hill, among others.

For parents, there will be a pool of $193 million for school supplies. Each child who attends a primary of secondary school will be eligible for a $150 subsidy.

The only requirement is that children must be NSW residents, enrolled in school next year and listed on a Medicare card.

The plan will come into effect on January 1 and run until June next year.

Parents will also be able to send children to a pre-Kindergarten year of schooling. The $5.8 billion plan will be rolled out over 10 years to have students in pre-K by 2030.

For those travelling to university there will be $98 million given for a regional apprentice and university student travel card, worth $250.

Winner: Commuters

The government has put $95 million aside to help make a fast rail link from Sydney to Newcastle a reality.

Mr Perrottet previously committed $500 million to the plan in collaboration with the Commonwealth Government, making a total $1 billion available.

"Once this becomes a reality we will be seeing travel times between Sydney and Newcastle [reduced] from two and a half hours down to one hour, Sydney to Gosford in 25 minutes, then Sydney to Wollongong in 45 minutes," Mr Perrottet said.

The $95 million will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure.

Mr Perrottet said the works were an essential step in delivering his government's six cities vision, by improving accessibility between the state's major centres. 

"You can't build great cities without building significant transport infrastructure, and ... this billion dollars from the state and federal government will lay that foundation and set up further investments as we move forward," he said.

Commuters will also benefit environmentally with zero-emission buses hitting the road, which should reduce the noises, improve air quality and make for a smoother ride.

The budget has outlined $219 million for the new hi-tech fleet over the next seven years. Around 200 zero-emission buses are expected to be in service on roads by mid-2023. 

Loser: Renters

While home buyers have plenty of measures to celebrate in this year's budget, there's less support for renters.

The NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) said more could be done to help those in social housing and people that require affordable renting schemes.

"More households are doing it tough because of cost-of-living pressures and communities need more support, specifically around affordable housing," NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty said.

"The affordable housing crisis was prevalent before the pandemic, COVID-19 has worsened it and it has also been exacerbated by an unholy trinity of flood, fire and drought."

Ms Quilty has called for an increase funding for the social services sector, above the one-off $50 million social sector support fund created at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

The government has committed $300 million to upgrade 15,800 social homes, but NCOSS said with 50,000 people on waitlists to enter social housing, the upgrades fall well short of what's needed.