❓ Ms. Hammat asks the Premier about cost-of-living relief measures for WA households. The Premier outlines several initiatives including free public transport, electricity credits, and support for carers and renters.
AnsweredQoN 20Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COST-OF-LIVING RELIEF
20. Ms M.J. HAMMAT to the Premier:
I refer to the global
cost-of-living and inflation pressures being experienced both domestically and
overseas.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this Labor government is providing
cost-of-living relief directly to Western Australian households and families?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how these practical measures are addressing the
challenges facing Western Australians?
20. Ms M.J. HAMMAT to the Premier:
I refer to the global
cost-of-living and inflation pressures being experienced both domestically and
overseas.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this Labor government is providing
cost-of-living relief directly to Western Australian households and families?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how these practical measures are addressing the
challenges facing Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question; it is a really important one. It provides me
with an opportunity to update the house on
some important initiatives that took place over the summer period. Just like 2023,
this will be another year that households across the nation carefully
manage their budgets. The cost of living is being felt right across the board,
particularly as interest rates take a chunk out of household budgets. We are
doing our best in WA to take action in relation to this.
Over Christmas and the school
holidays, particularly as temperatures regularly surpassed 40 degrees, we are especially mindful of the cost-of-living
pressures. Last year, the Minister for Transport and I announced another major cost-of-living measure for Western Australians:
free public transport to all Western Australians for the entire school
holidays. Not only did the measure save families money at a critical time of
year, it also attracted people to public transport. One retail worker I spoke
with on the train explained that she estimated that over the summer period she
had saved over $300 in forgone expenses for driving to work and parking by
taking advantage of the free public transport. She said that once the summer
holidays were over, she would continue to
take public transport because she now realised that it is a really good way to
get to work. She is not alone.
Compared with the same period last year, we saw a 40 per cent jump in patronage rates in relation to public transport. That is many hundreds of thousands of
people boarding our trains, buses and ferries over a six-week period. It builds
on our capped fares, which have already saved some commuters thousands of
dollars on the cost of public transport.
Going
forward, we have made public transport free for all school students all the
time. I am delighted to say that we have also extended the Sunday free
public transport for everyone on every Sunday. Around 300 000 students
currently hold student SmartRiders. They will all be able to travel to and from
school free of charge. Families who have two children travelling to and from
school daily on public transport will see savings of up to $560 across the
school year as a result of this change. This makes a significant contribution
to family household budgets. We are very proud of the initiative.
Equally
so, we have also doubled the conveyance allowance for families who cannot
access the free school bus service in the regions. The significance of
this announcement is felt in the fact that the conveyance rate was last
reviewed in 2002. That represents a significant boost in savings for those
families. I might add that as more Metronet projects reach completion, even
more households will have access to free or cheaper public transport. Of
course, that is not all that is available to households to ease the cost of
living; 1.1 million households benefited from a minimum $400 household
electricity credit—that is every single household in Western Australia.
The second instalment of the $200 credit started appearing on bills from
December, just in time for Christmas and the summer period. Grandparents,
carers, foster carers, family carers and special guardian carers all received a
one-off payment of $500 for the first child in their care and $250 for each
additional child. This helped 5 600 households across WA who are caring for
more than 7 700 children.
We have often targeted rent relief,
partnering with community service organisations to support private renters to
keep a roof over their head. It has already assisted dozens of families to get
back on their feet and reset financially. I could
keep going on. There are also capped regional airfares, free TAFE, the doubling of KidSport vouchers, a boost to the seniors
cost-of-living rebate, and, let us not forget, the senior safety and security
rebate that we reinstated after it was cut altogether by the previous Liberal–National
government.
This
government has kept the economy strong despite global challenges, and there is
no better place on earth today than Western Australia. There is plenty
to be optimistic about. Inflation is easing; Perth's inflation rate
fell to 3.6 per cent in 2023—the lowest of all mainland states. Wages
are increasing; wage growth is now above inflation and building approvals are
increasing once again, while the costs of construction are stabilising.
Meanwhile, new small businesses are popping up at a rapid pace. The years ahead
will be prosperous. The only risk to that will be an inexperienced Liberal–National
government with no plan for the future.
thank the member for the question; it is a really important one. It provides me
with an opportunity to update the house on
some important initiatives that took place over the summer period. Just like 2023,
this will be another year that households across the nation carefully
manage their budgets. The cost of living is being felt right across the board,
particularly as interest rates take a chunk out of household budgets. We are
doing our best in WA to take action in relation to this.
Over Christmas and the school
holidays, particularly as temperatures regularly surpassed 40 degrees, we are especially mindful of the cost-of-living
pressures. Last year, the Minister for Transport and I announced another major cost-of-living measure for Western Australians:
free public transport to all Western Australians for the entire school
holidays. Not only did the measure save families money at a critical time of
year, it also attracted people to public transport. One retail worker I spoke
with on the train explained that she estimated that over the summer period she
had saved over $300 in forgone expenses for driving to work and parking by
taking advantage of the free public transport. She said that once the summer
holidays were over, she would continue to
take public transport because she now realised that it is a really good way to
get to work. She is not alone.
Compared with the same period last year, we saw a 40 per cent jump in patronage rates in relation to public transport. That is many hundreds of thousands of
people boarding our trains, buses and ferries over a six-week period. It builds
on our capped fares, which have already saved some commuters thousands of
dollars on the cost of public transport.
Going
forward, we have made public transport free for all school students all the
time. I am delighted to say that we have also extended the Sunday free
public transport for everyone on every Sunday. Around 300 000 students
currently hold student SmartRiders. They will all be able to travel to and from
school free of charge. Families who have two children travelling to and from
school daily on public transport will see savings of up to $560 across the
school year as a result of this change. This makes a significant contribution
to family household budgets. We are very proud of the initiative.
Equally
so, we have also doubled the conveyance allowance for families who cannot
access the free school bus service in the regions. The significance of
this announcement is felt in the fact that the conveyance rate was last
reviewed in 2002. That represents a significant boost in savings for those
families. I might add that as more Metronet projects reach completion, even
more households will have access to free or cheaper public transport. Of
course, that is not all that is available to households to ease the cost of
living; 1.1 million households benefited from a minimum $400 household
electricity credit—that is every single household in Western Australia.
The second instalment of the $200 credit started appearing on bills from
December, just in time for Christmas and the summer period. Grandparents,
carers, foster carers, family carers and special guardian carers all received a
one-off payment of $500 for the first child in their care and $250 for each
additional child. This helped 5 600 households across WA who are caring for
more than 7 700 children.
We have often targeted rent relief,
partnering with community service organisations to support private renters to
keep a roof over their head. It has already assisted dozens of families to get
back on their feet and reset financially. I could
keep going on. There are also capped regional airfares, free TAFE, the doubling of KidSport vouchers, a boost to the seniors
cost-of-living rebate, and, let us not forget, the senior safety and security
rebate that we reinstated after it was cut altogether by the previous Liberal–National
government.
This
government has kept the economy strong despite global challenges, and there is
no better place on earth today than Western Australia. There is plenty
to be optimistic about. Inflation is easing; Perth's inflation rate
fell to 3.6 per cent in 2023—the lowest of all mainland states. Wages
are increasing; wage growth is now above inflation and building approvals are
increasing once again, while the costs of construction are stabilising.
Meanwhile, new small businesses are popping up at a rapid pace. The years ahead
will be prosperous. The only risk to that will be an inexperienced Liberal–National
government with no plan for the future.
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