Recently several states and territories, including Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT, released their annual budgets, containing key initiatives of relevance to the heavy vehicle industry.
The WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti described WA’s latest budget as “not sexy, but important”, an apt description of this aspect of the political cycle. Read on for a breakdown of each state’s key figures and relevant measures to the heavy vehicle sector.
New South Wales
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey handed down his third Budget on June 24, which had a strong focus on housing, health and education.
Key figures:
The 2025-26 Budget will run a deficit of $3.4 billion, or 0.4 per cent of Gross State Product (GSP). The Budget is forecast to return to a very modest surplus in 2027-28, assisted by strong stamp duty revenues.
Regarding transport and roads, funding for the state’s road and transport network reduced by $10.5 billion to $70 billion over the forward estimates. Key measures include:
> $2.4 billion for new and upgraded roads, including $1 billion for upgrades to Fifteenth Avenue between Liverpool and Western Sydney Airport;
> $2.1 billion over four years to continue the delivery of zero-emission public transport buses; and
> $731.7 million in 2025-26 for road safety upgrades, including line markings, school safety infrastructure and crash barriers;
The Budget sets aside $1.2 billion over four years for TAFE to promote ongoing skills development, including funding to accelerate the delivery of 4,800 construction trades workers to support the Government’s home building agenda.
Interestingly, there is a forecast increase to the estimates of electric vehicle road user charge (RUC) revenue in 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Government-owned Essential Energy, which operates and maintains one of Australia’s largest electricity distribution networks, is actively supporting the transition to electric vehicles by dramatically increasing the availability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across NSW, including in regional rural and remote areas.
Queensland
This was the first Budget delivered by Liberal Treasurer David Janetzki, and comes at a time of Olympics infrastructure investment, declining coal royalties and an unprecedented GST reduction.
Key figures:
Total state debt is now forecast to reach $205.7 billion at the end of the forward estimates in 2028-29. The operating deficit forecast for 2025-26 is $8.6 billion.
Regarding transport and roads:
> A $41.7 billion allocation for the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program, funding key infrastructural projects and integrated transport solutions that enhance network connectivity and reduce congestion. This capital allocation includes a $40 million injection into ‘The Wave’ to accelerate Stage 2 and Stage 3 planning processes.
> A $100 million ‘Country Roads Connect’ program to enhance the flood resilience of regional road networks.
On trades and training the Government will:
> Invest $201.1 million to establish four new TAFE Centres of Excellence in Rockhampton, Moreton Bay, Caloundra and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands;
> Extend the 50 per cent Apprentice Payroll Tax Rebate for a further 12 months’
> Spend $80 million a year through the ‘Skilling Queenslanders For Work’ initiative to support up to 15,000 people into jobs; and
> Invest $10 million for free apprenticeships for under 25s, removing tuition fees and making trade training more accessible and affordable.
Regarding manufacturing, the Government will reform key institutions, such as Manufacturing Skills Queensland, to better align with industry needs and improve access to practical, work-ready skills; and invest $79.1 million over three years in the ‘Transforming Queensland Manufacturing’ program, unlocking existing funds and new ones.
Western Australia
The 2025-26 Western Australian Budget was handed down by Rita Saffioti, the Deputy Premier and Treasurer on June 19, and was backed by a windfall in iron ore royalties and delivered in the context of a ballooning population. This was the first budget since Labor’s landslide election victory in March 2025 and delivered a seventh straight operating surplus of $2.5 billion.
Key figures:
The Budget includes $10.7 billion of investment in transport infrastructure over the next four years to connect communities, reduce congestion and create a more accessible state, including $250 million to the Regional Road Safety Program for safety upgrades on local government roads.
The West Australian Government committed $331 million to the VET sector, which includes new funding for free TAFE and campus upgrades. A total of $100 million has been provided to keep fee settings for 2026 the same as 2025, across fee-free and low-fee courses, with new expenditure covering:
> $33.9 million to continue the TAFE Modern Equipment Program;
> $17.4 million to establish a new heavy vehicle driver training facility in Neerabup, facilitated by North Metropolitan TAFE; and
> $8.5 million to reintroduce the Adult Apprentice Incentive program with 100 places a year for four years starting in 2025-26.
The expansion of South Metropolitan TAFE’s Munster Campus will provide state-of-the-art facilities to deliver future workforce skills for the renewables industry, including wind energy, battery technology, green hydrogen, electrification, automation and robotics.
There was also a focus on attracting skilled tradespeople from interstate and New Zealand, with costs of relocation covered.
Additionally, $1.4 billion has been budgeted to deliver the ‘Made in WA’ plan to support the state’s future economic growth through a pipeline of work building household batteries, ferries, electric buses and more.
The Budget also promises a $13.8 billion port, rail, road and transport infrastructure package to create thousands of jobs over the next four years.
Western Australia Budget Papers
ACT
This was the first Budget handed down by Treasurer Chris Steel and featured a ballooning budget deficit.
Rate increases and a new health levy, as well as a lowering of the threshold for businesses to pay payroll tax, were introduced to reduce the deficit over the forward estimates.
Key figures:
The Government projects a total deficit of $1.1 billion, including a lower deficit of $425 million by 2025-26, and a surplus by 2028-29.
A sum of $3.2 million was earmarked for 2025-26 towards Australia’s first Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence.
There is also a commitment to procure 30 additional battery electric buses for the bus network. As has been seen in other states, the ACT also reduced motor vehicle duty concessions for zero-emission vehicles.