❓ Ms Mettam questions the Premier on the effectiveness of cost-of-living relief for WA families. The Premier strongly defends the government's record, highlighting various initiatives and criticising the previous Liberal-National government's performance.
AnsweredQoN 894Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COST-OF-LIVING RELIEF
894. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the cost-of-living crisis
affecting WA kids, with reports that one in five young people were experiencing
extreme financial hardship, including going without meals, while the number of
families desperate for housing support has surged 26 per cent this year.
(1) Does the
Premier agree with a new children's policy centre that the government's
cost-of-living relief so far was a bandaid solution?
(2) Does this not
demonstrate a fundamental disconnect between the government's policies
and the real-life challenges affecting Western Australians?
894. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the cost-of-living crisis
affecting WA kids, with reports that one in five young people were experiencing
extreme financial hardship, including going without meals, while the number of
families desperate for housing support has surged 26 per cent this year.
(1) Does the
Premier agree with a new children's policy centre that the government's
cost-of-living relief so far was a bandaid solution?
(2) Does this not
demonstrate a fundamental disconnect between the government's policies
and the real-life challenges affecting Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) N o, I do not agree with the member. She is wrong.
Whichever stakeholder group or whatever else she found in Canberra, they
are wrong too. We know that Western Australia is a strong state. It has the
strongest economy in the country. It has the fastest growing economy in the
country. It has the fastest growing population in the country. Western Australia
is progressing. Thanks to a WA Labor government, Western Australians can be
confident about the future. Woe betide anyone who would contemplate voting for
the other side in this election because all of that would be at risk.
When I was elected Premier in June
2023, I made a commitment that I would maintain this economy as the strongest
in the country and that we would help those who are doing it tough. That is
exactly what we have done. I thank the member for the question because I was
curtailed by time when I was last outlining our list of achievements. This
gives me another opportunity to focus on our cost-of-living achievements. We
have delivered over $75 million worth of student assistance payments. We have
made VacSwim free over the 2024–25 summer holidays. We have provided
over $2 100 in electricity credits for all households over four years, along
with free public transport for school students, two-zone capped public
transport fares, fare-free Sundays and free transport for the summer of 2024–25.
We have introduced a $300 school clothing allowance for families in need and
capped regional airfares. We have kept household fees and charges well below
inflation. While we are there, under the Liberal–National government,
power prices increased by a whopping 90 per cent. It increased water usage and
rates by 67 per cent and increased car registrations by an average of $183 year
in, year out.
We have also doubled the KidSport
grant from $150 to $300. We have introduced free electricity from 9.00 am to
3.00 pm for those who are doing it tough. Our rent relief program provided up
to $500 in financial assistance. It goes on. We have introduced laws to ban
rent bidding and limit rent increases, and reintroduced the seniors safety and
security rebate after members opposite axed it. We introduced a new payment to
support foster carers and grandcarers. We made TAFE free for a whole range of
courses and provided financial assistance for regional nursing students and
other apprentices. Why were we able to do this? How were we able to provide
these cost-of-living measures? It is because we did the hard yards. We
protected the state's finances and provided budget repair, and we are
now in a position to make sure that we can repay the people of Western Australia
for their hard work.
We
have a range of measures in place. Unfortunately, I could go on, but I will
not. Hang on—KidSport is now $500. It is going on! We understand
that a lot of people are doing it tough. That is a reality that we accept on
this side of the chamber, which is the reason we have done so much on
cost-of-living relief. When members who are in the Parliament today are facing
people in their communities, they can tell them that their WA Labor government
has provided over $1 billion in support. That is $1 billion back into the
pockets of Western Australian households across 20 different programs and
initiatives across the length and breadth of this state. Those in the blue and
green chairs can say that too if they like, because I am sure they would like
to deliver that message to the people of Western Australia too—that
their WA Labor government will always do what is right for WA.
Whichever stakeholder group or whatever else she found in Canberra, they
are wrong too. We know that Western Australia is a strong state. It has the
strongest economy in the country. It has the fastest growing economy in the
country. It has the fastest growing population in the country. Western Australia
is progressing. Thanks to a WA Labor government, Western Australians can be
confident about the future. Woe betide anyone who would contemplate voting for
the other side in this election because all of that would be at risk.
When I was elected Premier in June
2023, I made a commitment that I would maintain this economy as the strongest
in the country and that we would help those who are doing it tough. That is
exactly what we have done. I thank the member for the question because I was
curtailed by time when I was last outlining our list of achievements. This
gives me another opportunity to focus on our cost-of-living achievements. We
have delivered over $75 million worth of student assistance payments. We have
made VacSwim free over the 2024–25 summer holidays. We have provided
over $2 100 in electricity credits for all households over four years, along
with free public transport for school students, two-zone capped public
transport fares, fare-free Sundays and free transport for the summer of 2024–25.
We have introduced a $300 school clothing allowance for families in need and
capped regional airfares. We have kept household fees and charges well below
inflation. While we are there, under the Liberal–National government,
power prices increased by a whopping 90 per cent. It increased water usage and
rates by 67 per cent and increased car registrations by an average of $183 year
in, year out.
We have also doubled the KidSport
grant from $150 to $300. We have introduced free electricity from 9.00 am to
3.00 pm for those who are doing it tough. Our rent relief program provided up
to $500 in financial assistance. It goes on. We have introduced laws to ban
rent bidding and limit rent increases, and reintroduced the seniors safety and
security rebate after members opposite axed it. We introduced a new payment to
support foster carers and grandcarers. We made TAFE free for a whole range of
courses and provided financial assistance for regional nursing students and
other apprentices. Why were we able to do this? How were we able to provide
these cost-of-living measures? It is because we did the hard yards. We
protected the state's finances and provided budget repair, and we are
now in a position to make sure that we can repay the people of Western Australia
for their hard work.
We
have a range of measures in place. Unfortunately, I could go on, but I will
not. Hang on—KidSport is now $500. It is going on! We understand
that a lot of people are doing it tough. That is a reality that we accept on
this side of the chamber, which is the reason we have done so much on
cost-of-living relief. When members who are in the Parliament today are facing
people in their communities, they can tell them that their WA Labor government
has provided over $1 billion in support. That is $1 billion back into the
pockets of Western Australian households across 20 different programs and
initiatives across the length and breadth of this state. Those in the blue and
green chairs can say that too if they like, because I am sure they would like
to deliver that message to the people of Western Australia too—that
their WA Labor government will always do what is right for WA.
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