NSW $118B Infrastructure Budget Signals Opportunity

The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) has welcomed the NSW Government’s 2025–26 State Budget and its $118.3 billion infrastructure pipeline, but cautions that the success of these investments will depend on whether qualified electrical subcontractors are engaged fairly and promptly across projects.

The Budget includes major funding for transport, education, energy, and health infrastructure, alongside targeted stimulus for housing and workforce development. NECA supports the ambition but warns that existing procurement and industrial settings still favour larger entities at the expense of subcontractors.

“This Budget clearly outlines a commitment to build – but the Government must also commit to who builds it,” said NECA CEO Oliver Judd.

“Without reform to subcontractor engagement, payment protections, and procurement processes, we risk locking out the very businesses with the capacity and local workforce to get these projects delivered safely and on time.”

NECA has welcomed the continued rollout of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and the increased coordination through the Investment Delivery Authority. However, NECA warns that unless head contractors are held accountable for compliance, fair treatment of subcontractors remains uncertain.

“Subcontractors are doing the real work yet are often the last to be paid and the first to bear risk. The Government must now demonstrate that this budget does more than fund infrastructure, it must also fix the structural barriers in how that infrastructure is procured and delivered,” Mr Judd said.

NECA also called on the Government to expand training investment to include high-performing industry-led Registered Training Organisations.

“We need a training system that produces the workforce industry actually needs. That includes supporting RTOs that are delivering superior outcomes, not just channelling funding into underperforming public providers.”

NECA will continue to engage with the NSW Government to ensure the delivery of this infrastructure budget translates into real, accessible, and secure opportunities for the 344,000-strong electrotechnology workforce powering New South Wales.