- 2024-25 State Budget delivers cost of living relief for the Wheatbelt
- Major investments in regional housing, health services and
infrastructure
- Jobs and training to support stronger futures and diversify
regional economies
- More than $4 billion delivered through Royalties for Regions
program
The
Cook Labor Government is doing what's right for the Wheatbelt, with the 2024-25
State Budget delivering significant cost of living relief while investing in
health facilities and services, housing, quality jobs and targeted training
programs.
The
2024-25 State Budget is focused on Western Australia's regions, with a record
$12.8 billion investment in regional infrastructure, and billions more to fund
regional service delivery.
More than $4 billion in
Royalties for Regions funding will go towards projects which enrich regional
communities, ensuring they remain great places to live, work and raise a
family.
Regional Western
Australians will benefit from the Cook Government's massive $762 million
investment in cost of living relief measures, which includes:
- $492.4
million to provide a $400 electricity credit for every WA household and
eligible small businesses;
- $103.5
million WA Student Assistance Payment initiative, including a $25.8 million
regional allocation, to provide $150 or $250 for every WA school student,
easing the pressure of school expenses; and
- $20.3 million to increase the value of the Regional
Pensioner Travel Card by $100 to $675, reducing transport costs for eligible pensioners in the regions.
This cost of living support to regional families is on top of the Cook
Government's $3 billion commitment over the next four years to subsidise the
cost of providing water and electricity to regional Western Australians, to
keep services affordable for everyone.
The Cook Government is supporting improved and expanded housing options
across the State, with a total investment of $1.1 billion in housing and
homelessness services, including:
- $400 million for social and affordable
housing projects, including in the regions;
- $60 million for a Regional Community Housing
Grants Program, to support community housing providers to deliver new dwellings
or refurbish existing dwellings; and
- $43.8 million in additional investment for
Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH), to fund new builds and land
acquisitions.
Health facilities will be upgraded, and programs to secure staff will be
continued, to ensure Western Australians have access to world-class healthcare,
regardless of where they live. The Cook Government's $3.2 billion investment in
health includes:
- More than $2.6 billion per annum in regional
healthcare investment;
- $405 million to boost regional health
service delivery, including $11.9 million to incentivise nurses and midwives to
work in regional WA;
- $32.5
million to continue the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme, supporting those
travelling for treatment;
- Additional funding to finalise contract
negotiations with the Royal Flying Doctor Service;
- $8.6 million to expand child development services
in the regions;
- $7.7 million to refurbish outdated staff
accommodation; and
- $2.5 million to develop an extension plan
for the Ronald McDonald House facility, supporting families travelling to Perth
for medical treatment.
The Cook Government is focused on diversifying regional economies and
creating quality local jobs. This includes investments of:
- $324 million investment into the South West
Interconnected System, to support WA's decarbonisation journey, provide
certainty to investors, and unlock job-creating renewable energy projects;
- $1.1 billion in training programs across regional WA, to prepare Western Australians for the
jobs of the future;
- $8 million to extend the highly successful Fee
Free TAFE program through the 2025 training year;
- $16.4 million over the next three years for
biosecurity management; and
- $36.4 million to slash green tape and
facilitate approvals for job-creating projects in the regions.
Country roads and regional transport infrastructure will be upgraded,
with a $6.4 billion investment. Key regional transport initiatives include:
- $169 million in additional funding for
regional roads, which forms part of a $4.5 billion investment in regional
roads over the next four years;
- $29.3 million to upgrade regional and remote
airstrips across the State, keeping communities connected;
- $11.6 million in
funding for the Driving Access and Equity Program, improving access to driving
services, instructors and vehicles, including in the Wheatbelt; and
- $12.4 million to upgrade the
York-Williams Road and Milo Road River Crossing bridges.
The 2024-25 State Budget will continue to build safe, strong and fair
regional communities. Key initiatives include:
- $23.4 million to extend Operation Regional
Shield, which allows WA Police to rapidly deploy officers to the regional areas
where they are needed most;
- $30.2 million to enhance bushfire mitigation
activities led by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions;
- $3.1 million over the next three years to
continue funding the Grain Harvest Air Support Strategy;
- $46.3 million to continue the successful
Home Stretch WA program, which provides support for young people leaving Out of
Home Care, including in the Wheatbelt;
- $96.4 million for programs for family and
domestic violence across WA, including $26.4 million specifically for regional
initiatives; and
- $7.7 million for various metropolitan and
regional career fire and rescue service stations, including $4.9 million to
provide firefighters with gender-separate facilities and $2.8 million to
install post-incident hygiene showers.
The Cook Government is committed to encouraging Western Australians to
explore the State's great outdoors, while supporting regional local businesses.
Regional initiatives in the State Budget's Outdoor Adventure Tourism package
include:
- $69.6 million towards boating and
maritime facilities across the State, including $17.5 million over the next
three years to extend the breakwater at Jurien Bay Boat Harbour;
- $36 million for trails and other
recreational facilities; and
- $14.9 million to deliver a range of new and
upgraded campgrounds, including $1.5 million to upgrade the popular Kangaroo
Point campground in Nambung National Park.
For more information, visit https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au.
Comments attributed to Premier
Roger Cook:
"This Budget delivers on my Government's commitment to always do what's
right for the Wheatbelt.
"We are focused on providing real cost of living relief, with a major
investment to ease the pressure on families in our regions.
"Regional WA props up our
nation's economy, and this Budget delivers measures that will drive regional
economic growth, diversify regional economies and create jobs for our kids in
the regions.
"There's also major
funding for programs which enhance regional centres, ensuring they remain great
places to live, work and raise a family for generations to come."
Comments attributed to
Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"Western Australia's
regions are the heart of our State, and the Cook Government is committed to
seeing them thrive.
"We want to ensure that
every Western Australian has access to great housing, healthcare, and
opportunities to grow - regardless of where they live.
"Our responsible
financial management means we are in a position to invest in our regions, with
billions of dollars flowing into these areas as part of the 2024-25 State
Budget.
"From enhanced tourism
infrastructure, to community safety measures, and programs which diversify
regional economies, this Budget delivers on what matters for regional Western
Australians."