July 2026 monthly column by State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin MP
IN THE Minns Labor Government’s fourth budget, the Treasurer has brought down the inherited debt and deficit, saving $400 million a year in interest, while continuing our program of higher wages for teachers, nurses, paramedics and police to attract and keep more frontline workers.
Many items in the budget had already been announced, such as the $7 million for the cattle tick program, $5 million for local river health projects and major road repair and infrastructure funding.
I would like to highlight a couple of new items of particular interest to locals.
Household savings
I know many people are considering battery storage for solar power but are put off by the upfront cost. The Home Energy Saver program could be an option.
Under the scheme, eligible homeowners or landlords can apply for interest-free loans of up to $15,000 to be used for:
- Rooftop solar PV systems and battery storage
- Heat pump water heaters and solar water heaters
- Reverse-cycle air conditioners
- Ceiling insulation, draught-proofing and double-glazed windows
- Induction cooktops replacing gas appliances
- EV Level 2 chargers
- Ceiling fans and switchboard upgrades
There is also a program for homeowners and renters with an income under $80,000 or pension card, offering discounts of $4,000 on energy-saving items.
For details on eligibility and how to apply:
energy.nsw.gov.au/households/rebates-grants-and-schemes/home-energy-saver-program
In other household savings, the Government has reduced car registration costs by $100, with an $80 reduction for motorbikes. This will appear on your next renewal notice.
Landmark funding for domestic and family violence services
I have a long and close association with refuges and domestic and family violence services. This sector has historically been underfunded, resulting in many vulnerable women and children being turned away from the support they need to be safe.
The budget includes a landmark $184.1 million investment in frontline domestic and family violence services.
This major funding boost across six key domestic and family violence programs means thousands more women and children escaping violence will be able to access specialist support when they need it most.
These frontline programs include Safer Pathways, Staying Home Leaving Violence, and after-hours crisis support to help keep women and children safe. The increased funding also covers specialist support for children and young people, alongside investment in the Men’s Behaviour Change program to help break the cycle of violence.
This historic funding increase is part of the broader work the Minns Government is doing to strengthen domestic and family violence laws, including:
- making it harder for domestic violence perpetrators to get bail
- introducing electronic monitoring and tracking of serious domestic violence perpetrators on bail
- targeting perpetrators who use coercive control
- strengthening stalking laws to target people using tracking devices or surveillance.
As I said in Parliament recently, the Government understands that abuse can be psychological, invisible and technology-enabled and our legal framework must respond accordingly.
Caption: Before heading to Parliament for budget week, Janelle Saffin viewed ‘Stay Cosy’, the CWA tea cosy exhibition at the Lismore Regional Gallery.
