Toll Rebate Changes For NSW Drivers As Anger Erupts Over 'Thank You’ Gesture To Public Sector Workers

Toll relief is on the way for thousands of New South Wales drivers in this month's State budget.

Premier Dominic Perrottet is expected to announce changes to the rebate scheme on Tuesday, with motorists who spend at least $375 a year, eligible for a quarterly cash back of 40 per cent.

The scheme will be thrown into gear ahead of a predicted rise in toll fees planned for next month.

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It comes after the NSW premier on Monday announced a wage cap increase for public sector workers from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent this financial year and 3.5 per cent the following year dependent on productivity gains.

“I believe it’s fair and responsible,” Perrottet said. “It balances competing challenges that we have as a state after what we’ve gone through over the last two years.”

With teachers, nurses, transport workers and paramedics already enacting strike action this year, with demands for better pay work conditions, unions are asking for a pay increase to fall in line with inflation – currently at 5.1%.

But the Public Service Association (PSA) has slammed the offer, instead on Monday night voting to go ahead with planned action on Wednesday.

Stewart Little, PSA's general secretary said the announced wage cap was “bewildering and insulting to all frontline workers”.

“Overwhelmingly our members are angry … and unanimously supported that we continue with the action”

“The Perrottet government needs to have a rethink on this because our members are certainly not going to lay down and make this decision lightly,” he said.

While the NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos said it only "adds insult to injury”.

The Perrottet government also announced plans to hire more than 10,000 additional health workers to combat shortages and give existing health workers $3,000 “appreciation” payments.

NSW NMA’s assistant general secretary assistant general secretary Michael Whaites told The Guardian that the money would be welcomed, but said it was not enough.

“This isn’t going to help them with their cost-of-living pressures in two weeks’ time, or in two months’ time, or in two years’ time,” he said.

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