LOCAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The Albanese Labor Government has delivered for the people of Sydney and will continue to do so. In our first term we have assisted in the following ways:
Stage 3 Tax cuts: There are 147,000 taxpayers and 123,462 received a tax cut (84%); incidentally 84% of taxpayers were better off Australia wide as well. 23,466 (16%) earned under 18,200 and pay no tax so didn’t receive a tax cut.
HECS Student debt: In Sydney more than one in five voters (21.2%) are set to benefit from a planned 20% HELP debt reduction—cutting average student debt by $6,820 from $34,099 to $27,279 and delivering $183.9 million in direct financial relief to 26,972 individuals.
Cheaper medicines: Thanks to Labor’s cheaper medicines policy (initial reduction in PBS and 60-day dispensing), an estimated $9 million has been saved by Sydney residents since January 2023, easing the cost of essential medications for thousands of locals—especially seniors.
- effective from 1 January 2023, the maximum co-payment for PBS prescriptions was reduced from $42.50 to $30 (with indexation it increased to $31.60 on 1 January 2024) and in the new budget PBS meds will reduce another $5 to $25 (to take effect 1 January 2026 and will be cheapest since 2004).
- The government has implemented a five-year freeze on the concession co-payment of $7.70, extending it until 2030
Bulk-billing visits: On Nov 1, 2023, the government tripled the bulk billing incentive, leading to an increase in bulk billed GP appointments. This increase applies to GPs who bulk bill services for children under 16 years of age and patients holding a Commonwealth concession card.
- By December 2024 Sydney increased its bulk-billing rate by 1.4% with 8,321 additional bulk-billing visits (% increase is directly in line with NSW at 1.4% and National increase was 1.7%).
Commonwealth rental assistance (CRA): For the first time in over 30 years, Labor delivered 3 consecutive increases to CRA—raising support for 6,540 Sydney households (5.6%) in 2023, peaking at 6,865 (5.8%) in 2024, and maintaining strong assistance for 6,330 households (5.4%) in 2025—reflecting an unprecedented commitment to easing rental stress.
Child Care subsidy (CCS): As of September 2023, 7,720 families in Sydney are receiving support through the CCS, helping to make early education and care more affordable and accessible for their children.
Energy bill relief:
- 101,373 households received $300 rebate
- 75,015 small businesses received $325 rebate
Fee Free TAFE: (electorate specific data not available)
- January 2023 to 30 September 2024: NSW has had 249,812 enrolments in fee-free TAFE courses
- From 2024 to 2026, 153,700 places will be available in New South Wales, including the additional 6,300 Fee-Free TAFE and VET places for courses relevant to the construction sector
Aged Care: (electorate specific data not available)
- Nationally, we have reached 99% coverage of having a registered nurse onsite at residential aged care facilities and nursing homes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Locally too, many of our schools, community groups, arts organisations, live music venues, charities and businesses have received much needed support from our government.
Zoom in to see just some of the things we have achieved for the electorate of Sydney over the last three years.
