That’s the view of Ernst & Young’s market segment leader – real estate Selina Short.

She said revenues would taper off with first home buyers accessing concessions and reduced pricing pressures and volumes.

“The NSW budget was largely silent on improving housing accessibility,” Ms Short said.

“With a growing population, an absence of focus on providing enough homes will exacerbate the pain points already being felt.”

Ms Short said the skills and workforce measures were welcomed given the real issue of skills shortages as we moved through the infrastructure project surge.

The state budget will be positively received by the business community across the region, the Mid North Coast NSW Business Chamber believes.

It provides tax relief and invests in infrastructure and skills for the future.

Mid North Coast NSW Business Chamber regional manager Kellon Beard said this was a budget which provided some welcome relief for small business in the form of an increased payroll tax threshold and built future capacity through record investment in infrastructure and skills.

“Importantly, the budget recognises the need for fiscal responsibility with an average surplus of $1.6 billion per year projected over the forward estimates, despite revenue from stamp duty being lower than expected over the coming years,” Mr Beard said.

The so-called “people’s budget” is actually anything but, Local Government NSW president Linda Scott says.

“The government thinks a $100 voucher for after-school art classes means families won’t notice if public library hours are cut, their local roads deteriorate further, and their parks and playgrounds go downhill through a lack of available funding,” she said.

“A $150 “baby bundle” is great but it is far less important than the local infrastructure and services that will genuinely improve liveability for new parents, and for communities across NSW.”

Cr Scott said the 2018/19 state budget included a $25.2 million cut to the grants and subsidies that enabled local government to provide local infrastructure and services.

The budget provides $31 million over 10 years for low interest loans to councils to invest in infrastructure to address housing affordability.

“While small low interest loans for councils are welcome, an annual allocation of $3.1 million is unlikely to have any material impact on housing affordability,” Cr Scott said.

The head of a peak accommodation body described the budget as great for labour, skills and transport infrastructure.

Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW CEO Carol Giuseppi said the $285.2 million targeted at vocational education and training  in the budget would be a boost for the state’s tourism sector.

The sector employs more than 56,000 people.

Ms Giuseppi also welcomed an additional $764.8 million set aside for skills development and training programs through TAFE NSW and other registered training providers.

“There are very real shortages right across the accommodation industry right now when it comes to skilled workers in the managerial, culinary, food and beverage areas in particular,” she said.

“Making TAFE courses free for some 100,000 people will help boost the numbers of students going into these key areas of our industry in coming years.”

The NSW Public Libraries Association has called on the state government to urgently reverse funding cuts as well as significantly increase funding to public libraries.

NSW Public Libraries Association president Dallas Tout said the cuts constituted a major blow to library services that were highly valued by communities.

Cr Tout said that the $23.5 million provided for public libraries in the 2018-19 budget is the lowest state government contribution since 1999-2000 when the state contribution was $17.9 million, effectively winding back the library funding clock by almost 20 years.

Local Government NSW president Linda Scott said funding to public libraries had been slashed by 18 per cent.

“Public libraries in NSW already receive the lowest per capita support of all Australian states,” Cr Scott said.

“This NSW state budget sees library funding plummeting to record low levels.”