- 2024-25 State Budget delivers cost of living relief for
regional Western Australians
- 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 is right for regional Western Australians, 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, including:
- $492.4
million to provide a $400 electricity credit for every Western Australian
household and eligible small businesses;
- $103.5
million WA Student Assistance Payment initiative - of which $25.8 million will be spent on
delivering the initiative regionally - providing either $150 or $250 for
every WA school student, easing the pressure of school expenses;
- $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; and
- $64.5
million in additional investment to continue the popular Regional Airfare Zone
Cap scheme.
This cost of living
support for 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;
- $43.8
million in additional investment for Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH),
to fund new builds and land acquisitions;
- $34.8
million to unlock more development-ready land for housing in regional centres
including Broome, Karratha and Kalgoorlie; and
- $22
million to expand existing homelessness services, including programs which
operate in Geraldton, Albany and Kalgoorlie.
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. Investments include:
- Over $2.6
billion per annum for regional healthcare;
- $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;
- $15
million to deliver an MRI unit at Hedland Health Campus;
- $2.3
million for a four-chair dialysis unit at Karratha Health Campus;
- $173.2
million in extra investment toward the redevelopment of Bunbury Hospital over
the next four years;
- $43.4 million in
extra investment for the Geraldton Health Campus Redevelopment;
- $7.7
million to refurbish outdated staff accommodation; and
- $2.3 million
to develop an extension plan for the Ronald McDonald House facility, supporting
regional families travelling to Perth for medical treatment.
The Cook Government is
focused on diversifying regional economies, creating quality local jobs and
positioning WA as a clean energy powerhouse. This includes investments of:
- $1.1
billion in training programs across regional WA, to prepare Western Australians
for the jobs of the future;
- $500
million for a new Strategic Industries Fund to transform WA's industrial areas
into major job-creating hubs right across regional WA;
- $324 million
investment into the South West Interconnected System, to support industry
growth and unlock job-creating renewable energy projects;
- $148
million to support the development of transmission network infrastructure in
the North West Interconnected System;
- $18
million for 50 standalone power systems to be installed in the Mid West and
Esperance;
- $39.1 million towards the Burrup Seawater
Supply Scheme upgrades, to support industrial growth in the Pilbara;
- $15
million for a business case to expand water supply to the Goldfields, to
facilitate industrial investment;
- $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 to support WA's
agricultural industries;
- royalty
relief for the nickel industry, to support producers and jobs; 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, as part of a $4.5 billion
investment in regional roads over the next four years; and
- $247.8
million to fund works at regional ports.
A total of $29.3 million will
also be provided to upgrade regional and remote airstrips across the State,
keeping communities connected.
The Cook Government's
commitment to strong environmental protections and WA's water security will be
bolstered by a $536 million new investment in the 2024-25 State Budget, with
regional initiatives including:
- $67.2 million to continue implementation of the
2024-2033 Forest Management Plan, creating new jobs following the ending of
commercial logging of native forests;
- $67.2 million to expand WA's
conservation estate as part of the Plan for Our Parks, with significant
investment to support the South Coast Marine Park and Fortescue Marsh Nature
Reserve; and
- $97.1 million to upgrade
vital regional water infrastructure across the State, boosting WA's water
security for the future.
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, allowing WA Police to rapidly
deploy officers to the regional areas where they are needed most;
- $30.2
million to enhance the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and
Attractions' bushfire mitigation activities across the State;
- $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 regions;
- $96.4 million
for programs for family and domestic violence across WA, including $26.4
million specifically for regional initiatives;
- $15.6
million to support the delivery of 11 priority projects under the 10-year Early
Years Partnership initiative, aimed at supporting and improving early childhood
outcomes, including $10.6 million for regional initiatives;
- $5.8
million to continue the Aboriginal Representative Organisation and Aboriginal
Family Led Decision Making programs; and
- $3.1
million for the Aboriginal Community Connectors Program to provide place-based
support to street-present community members.
The Cook Government is
committed to encouraging Western Australians to explore the State's great
outdoors, while supporting regional local businesses. Initiatives in the State
Budget's Outdoor and Adventure Tourism package include:
- $69.6 million
towards boating and maritime facilities across regional WA, including extending
the Jurien Bay Boat Harbour Breakwater;
- $36
million for trails and other recreational facilities in the regions, including
$17.5 million to complete the iconic Wadandi Track in the South West;
- $16.2
million for tourism upgrades at Kalbarri and the Abrolhos Islands; and
- $14.9
million to deliver a range of new and upgraded campgrounds.
For more information,
visit 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 regional Western
Australians.
"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."