THE state budget has invested in a range of initiatives and delivered key election commitments to protect WA’s growing community, including a $134.5 million investment in out-of-home care reform.
Key priorities of this reform include greater stability for children in care, improved opportunities for reunification, additional engagement with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, and ensuring greater cultural connection for children in care.
This will be further supported by an additional $115.5m to mainly support frontline child protection services.
Of this, $20.1m will support an additional 31 full-time equivalent frontline child protection positions, which adds to the 55 child safety practitioners announced in December 2024.
The Cook Labor Government will also deliver key election commitments to expand the Safe at Home program.
Safe at Home helps victim-survivors stay in their own homes by providing risk assessments, safety plans and security upgrades after the perpetrator has been removed.
The new funding is part of a $33.3m package to support family and domestic violence victim-survivors and hold perpetrators accountable, including $19.1m for electronic monitoring to support nation-leading FDV laws introduced by the government.
Also included in the budget is an $80.6m emergency services package that honours several key election commitments.
Other initiatives and funding that form part of this package include:
• $8m for the replacement of the Bullsbrook Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services station;
• $6.7m to support DFES aerial fire response capability and establish two strike teams to mitigate the threat of crop fires during the grain harvesting season;
• $2m to complete the planning of a new State Emergency Management Training Centre;
• $7.8m to support operation of the national Emergency Alert warning system;
• $3.5m for expansion of the Community Emergency Services manager program;
• $3.1m towards a new state Bushfire Mitigation Branch, including 12 additional staff;
The budget includes $6.1m for two new police stations in Forrestfield and Baldivis, with the policing hubs to be operational later this year.
To support at-risk youth and ensure they have a bright future, funding for Police and Community Youth Centres across the state has also increased by $10.5m.
AS part of the state budget, $130 million has been allocated to support the planning and delivery of the first stage of a new high school for the rapidly growing north-eastern suburb of Brabham, which will accommodate 1000 students.
The school will cater for students in the popular and growing suburbs of Brabham and Henley Brook and will relieve enrolment pressure on Ellenbrook Secondary College.
A new primary school is also being planned to open in Brabham in 2030.
The allocations are part of $1.7 billion to be invested over the next four years in the delivery of new public schools and improved infrastructure.
As part of the new Cool the Schools program, the state government will begin its rollout of new reverse-cycle air-conditioning systems at 45 schools across the state, with an initial $43.3m of the total $89.1m commitment funded.
The budget also includes an initial $42m to begin undertaking works as part of a $83.1m commitment to of minor upgrades and improvements at 61 schools.
A further $25m per year from 2029-30 will be made available to see more schools receive upgrades to their ageing school infrastructure such as classrooms, sporting facilities, and play spaces.
Planning is also commencing for the delivery of 17 major infrastructure projects through the new schools and maintenance vision (major upgrades) program.
GETTING around on public transport will soon become even more affordable with an investment of $152 million in the state budget to deliver a key election promise of a suburban flat fare.
The major commitment will see the existing Transperth nine-zone system abolished and fares - already benefiting from a two-zone cap introduced in January 2022 - further reduced to a suburban flat fare.
The existing two-section fare for journeys less than 3.2 kilometres will remain in place.
The major shakeup to the fare systems and structures means that from January 1, 2026, passengers will pay no more than $2.80 to get anywhere on the network when using SmartRider’s autoload function.
The change will make Western Australia one of the most affordable states in the country to get around on public transport.
On average, more than 70,000 commuters travel more than two zones every work day and the changes are also expected to encourage more public transport use and alleviate congestion on the road network.
The one-zone fare cap will also be extended to Transregional bus services.
The government also announced it would invest $18.2m to deliver its key election commitment to halve the cost of all Transwa fares.
The 50 per cent cut to all Transwa fares will take effect from January 1, 2026, making it cheaper to travel to and from more than 200 destinations across regional WA, promoting visits to communities to support those local economies.
THE Cook Labor government says its budget will help keep costs down for Wheatbelt families with billions of dollars in rebates and concessions, and household fees and charges being kept affordable with below inflation increases for a sixth consecutive year.
More than $4 billion in Royalties for Regions funding will also go towards projects which enhance regional communities, ensuring they remain exceptional places to live, work and raise a family.
Regional Western Australians will benefit from the Cook Government’s $121 million investment in regional health and mental health infrastructure and services. This includes:
• $12.2m to implement a Virtual Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Hub, which will provide virtual mental health treatment and support services for children and their families.
• $8.2m to establish GP ASK to connect WA GPs to dedicated and experienced specialists without the need for patients to travel to a hospital.
Cost-of-living support includes:
• $3.5b over four years to keep regional water and power prices in line with metro prices.
• $28m to expand the School Breakfast Program to provide free breakfasts five days a week at more than 650 schools, including in the Wheatbelt;
• $25.7m to deliver a further $100 increase to the Regional Pensioner Travel Card;
• $18.2m to halve Transwa fares for bus services connecting towns in regional WA;
• increasing the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme fuel subsidy from $0.26 per kilometre to $0.40 per kilometre at a cost of $18.5m; and
• $8m for the Country Week Assistance Program to support regional students.
The Cook Government will invest $219.7m in regional primary and secondary school infrastructure, upgrades and new builds, as well as a range of measures to support families with early education and outside of school hours care.
Around $277m per annum will be invested to deliver Vocational Education and Training, career and employment advice, and TAFE support services across regional Western Australia, with further asset investment of $65m towards regional TAFE projects.
Regional roads and transport infrastructure continue to be upgraded, with investment in key projects across the regions including:
• $250m over five years to expand the Regional Road Safety Program to local roads;
• $25m to deliver the Northam Pithara Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement project; and
• $8.3m to progress commercial options analysis regarding the future of the state’s freight rail infrastructure.
Key regional housing initiatives include:
• $25m for the Regional Housing Support Fund that will provide grants of up to $5m to support new housing and land supply;
• $13.7m for regional staff accommodation costs to attract and retain staff in regional areas.
Other key initiatives include:
• $3.5m for expansion of the Community Emergency Services Manager program;
• $3.1m towards a new state Bushfire Mitigation Branch including 12 additional staff;
• $3m to continue an uplift in baseline funding to financial counselling services across the State, including the Share and Care Wheatbelt Financial Counselling Service;
• $6.7m for the Grain Harvest Program and aerial fire response capability including the establishment of two strike teams.
• $25.2m to establish a Regional Racing Fund for key infrastructure upgrades at up to 24 racing, harness, turf and trotting clubs, including $332,000 for Northam Harness, $315,000 for Northam Race Club and $30,000 for York Racing.
• $1.1m for upgrades to Hurricane Go Kart Club in Wundowie.
THE Cook Labor Government will support Western Australia’s growing population with $107.6 million in mental health support for young children, adults and families as part of the 2025-26 state budget.
That funding includes $39.5m to deliver free public access to Ngala’s Residential Parenting Service, providing mental health early intervention and prevention support to families going through a challenging time following the birth of a child.
In the regions, $13.8m will establish an Acute Care and Response Team (ACRT) for Bunbury, comprising a mobile team of mental health experts who can travel to a patient’s home preventing harm and reducing emergency department (ED) presentations.
ACRTs also provide non-emergency outreach, conduct check-ins and provide follow-up support to youngsters on discharge from the ED.
Major mental health and alcohol and other drug initiatives for regional WA funded in the Budget include $5m towards planning for WA’s first residential eating disorder facility, while $4m will also be put towards supporting good mental health in the workplace, through the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program Support Fund.
Premier Roger Cook said the growing population means the government must continue to invest in essential services - including mental health programs.
LAST week’s state budget is a budget of misplaced priorities, missed opportunities and more pain for those already doing it tough, according to Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.
He said the Budget does little to address serious issues in housing, health and education and reinforces the Cook Labor government’s focus on the wrong priorities for Western Australians.
“The cost-of-living relief so desperately needed by many Western Australians has not materialised, despite the Premier saying it was his number one priority,” Mr Zempilas said.
“It appears the government have deliberately misled Western Australians by saying there is a $52 decrease in household fees and charges.
“In fact, households need to find another $382 to cover fees and charges.
“There is a further 2.5 per cent increase in energy and water charges and a 5 per cent increase in the Emergency Services Levy,” Mr Zempilas said.
“And the cost of driving a car will now be over $1000 per year.”
Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer said that the Treasurer had deliberately excluded last year’s $400 electricity credit in calculating the ‘household basket’ to give the illusion of a saving.
“It’s financial trickery, plain and simple. There is no $52 saving as claimed. Families are facing nearly $400 in extra costs and if you don’t use public transport regularly or don’t have school-aged kids, there’s virtually nothing in this budget to help you.
“Renters, mortgage holders, working families – this budget offers no real relief.”
Ms Brewer also criticised the government’s lack of financial discipline.
“Despite promising to pay down debt ‘like a mortgage,’ and years of record revenue, debt is now projected to hit $42.5 billion within four years,’ Ms Brewer said.
“Labor’s refusal to allocate surpluses to debt reduction is proof they’ve abandoned responsible economic stewardship.”
Ms Brewer said the economic pain inflicted by the government isn’t just being felt by households.
“This Budget is yet another example of misplaced priorities. Transport infrastructure, mainly Metronet, continues to dominate spending, at double the budget for health and education over the next four years.
“Hospital waitlists have ballooned, with elective surgery numbers rising from 19,000 in 2017 to nearly 30,000 today. Ambulance ramping remains at record levels, yet investment in frontline health is falling behind.
“Meanwhile, small and medium businesses are being punished with higher costs, more red tape and no support.”
THE budget has missed the opportunity to solve Western Australia’s worsening housing and homelessness emergency, peak body for WA’s homelessness and community housing sectors Shelter WA said.
“Despite some welcome measures such as $6 million to grow community housing sector capacity, $20.4m for homelessness outreach and services, and the build to rent kickstart fund, the budget fails to deliver any bold or substantive initiatives to meet the scale and urgency of the crisis,” Shelter WA chair Kieran Wong said
“In essence, this budget only funds an additional 660 social and affordable rental homes - we needed an ambition at ten times this level.
“This was the year the government aimed to end rough sleeping, but we are nowhere near meeting that goal and it’s disappointing to see no announcements in this budget to help us get there.
“The forecast budget surplus of $2.4 billion will bring WA’s total budget surpluses to $25b since 2020, and our state is touted as the economic powerhouse of the nation.
“Yet there are more than 22,000 households on the social housing waitlist and more than 2300 people sleeping rough.
“The average waiting time for social housing is now 151 weeks. Where will WA’s most vulnerable people go for three years, while they wait?
“The state government has never had a stronger mandate or a clearer crisis to implement bold and urgent actions that are needed to solve the housing and homelessness emergency.
“Unfortunately we’ve been handed a budget that will continue to be overshadowed by record-breaking rent increases, sky-high housing waitlists and more and more families who are forced to live in cars and tents,” Mr Wong said.
He said Shelter WA applauded the government’s $6m community housing capacity building program that will help grow the sector and scale up the delivery of social housing.
While the extension of the Rent Relief Scheme is welcomed, more needs to be done to tackle the fundamental drivers of WA’s catastrophic rental situation.
“The rent relief scheme has prevented thousands of Western Australians from becoming homeless, but we need to address the reason people need to access this scheme in the first place,” Mr Wong said.
Key Figures
• In the 2021 census, there were 9729 people experiencing homelessness in WA – which included 2315 people rough sleeping - this is a 114% increase from 2016.
• In April 2025, there were 1934 people rough sleeping or temporarily sheltered across Perth and the southwest.
• 50% of specialist homelessness services (SHS) clients in WA are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, despite making up just over 3% of the population.
• There are currently 22,066 applications on the social housing waitlist (at April 30 2025) - Including 7125 priority applications - with average wait times once again increased to 151 weeks.
• In Perth, someone earning $70,000 a year will spend 58% of their income on rent.
THE state budget contains important measures responding to the WA Local Government Association’s (WALGA) advocacy in areas of road safety, health, housing, emergency management, telecommunications and safer children’s crossings.
WALGA said it was pleased to see funding provided in areas that will support local government to deliver important services to their communities, reflecting commitments from the state government that were welcomed by WALGA.
These include $250 million for the Regional Road Safety Program, $3.5m over 2025-26 to 2028-29 to expand the existing Community Emergency Services Manager (CESM) Program by an additional six local government employees, and a further $5m over 2025-26 to 2028-29 to support the establishment of the Office of the Local Government Inspector.
Other measures will include $8.5m over 2025-26 and 2026-27 to install signalised pedestrian crossings at high-risk locations, $62.6m over four years on biosecurity incident, and emergency management response activities.
While decarbonisation initiatives are a positive step, there has been a noticeable shift away from broader climate action - particularly in the areas of adaptation and mitigation.
THE 2025-26 state budget will include more than $1 billion in new spending to deliver on a range of transport election commitments.
Addressing congestion hot spots will be a key focus of new investment.
A total of $599m has been allocated across a range of road projects that were committed to in the election campaign, including widening of the Kwinana Freeway between Roe Highway and Mortimer Road, grade separation of the Reid Highway and Erindale Road intersection and intersection improvements along Wanneroo Road;
Additional funding will be allocated to the state government’s Regional Road Safety Program, with $200m to be invested to deliver road safety treatments on local government roads over the next four years.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the investment delivered on the government’s commitments and its plan to make public transport more affordable and bust congestion hot spots.
