❓ Mr. Rundle questions the Premier's cost-of-living relief efforts, which the Premier defends by outlining various government initiatives and criticising the previous government's record.
AnsweredQoN 562Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COST-OF-LIVING RELIEF
562. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
On Sunday, the Premier was at the
Zoo with his Minister for Environment touting his government's spring
sale—a supposed cost-of-living initiative—claiming that it
would help every Western Australian. Meanwhile, he has failed to deliver any
meaningful support to households that are grappling with the cost-of-living
crisis.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member,
you are making statements here. You need to get on to the question.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : When will the Premier introduce real
cost-of-living relief so WA families can afford —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for Disability
Services, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Health, we need to
hear the question and move on with the answer, please.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : When will the
Premier introduce real cost-of-living relief so WA families can afford to feed
themselves, not just the ducks at the Zoo?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I think we may
have some farmyard animals here! I suppose that I am only grateful that most of
the students have left so they cannot witness the behaviour of this Parliament.
562. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
On Sunday, the Premier was at the
Zoo with his Minister for Environment touting his government's spring
sale—a supposed cost-of-living initiative—claiming that it
would help every Western Australian. Meanwhile, he has failed to deliver any
meaningful support to households that are grappling with the cost-of-living
crisis.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member,
you are making statements here. You need to get on to the question.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : When will the Premier introduce real
cost-of-living relief so WA families can afford —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for Disability
Services, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Health, we need to
hear the question and move on with the answer, please.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : When will the
Premier introduce real cost-of-living relief so WA families can afford to feed
themselves, not just the ducks at the Zoo?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I think we may
have some farmyard animals here! I suppose that I am only grateful that most of
the students have left so they cannot witness the behaviour of this Parliament.
AnswerView source ↗
Madam Speaker, I cannot believe that
someone would be anti-cost-of-living relief and, quite frankly, anti-zoo. He is
the one person in this chamber who believes that young families should not have
the opportunity of an affordable day out for themselves and their children. It
is extraordinary. The member opposite is clearly not the one who pays the power
bills in the Rundle household. If he was, he would be coming in and saying, ''Thank
you very much for the $350 credit that recently landed in my power bill just
last month. Thank you, WA government, for being so focused on cost-of-living
measures. Thank you, WA government, for understanding that even though our
economy is really strong at the moment,
there are people who are doing it tough.'' We have a government that is
very committed to making sure that we provide cost-of-living relief. We
have to make sure that that is provided right across the board to not only the
Rundle household, but also families across Western Australia.
Although the member is clearly
daunted by the idea of ducks, I want to explain to the member what we are doing
in relation to the cost of living. I apologise to the Speaker for the lack of
progress today, but this may take some time. We have delivered over $75 million
worth of student assistance payments, money that has gone directly back into
the pockets of Western Australian families. We have made VacSwim free over the
2024–25 summer holidays. Over $2 100 in electricity credits were
provided to all households over four years. It has been a sustained effort.
There has been free public transport for school students, saving up to around
$500 a year; two-zone capped fares; fare-free Sundays; and free transport in
the summer of 2024. There has been a $300 school clothing allowance for
families in need. We capped regional airfares, one of the most successful parts
of our cost-of-living measures. We have kept household fees and charges well
below inflation. We doubled KidSport from $150 to $300 and then increased it
again to $500. We offered free electricity from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm for those
doing it tough and a rent relief program that provides up to $5 000 in
financial assistance. We have introduced laws to ban rent bidding and limit
rent increases. We have reintroduced the seniors' safety and security
rebate, after the Liberal–National government cut it. We have new
payments to support foster carers and grandcarers. We have made TAFE significantly cheaper, which I have already spoken
about, and given financial assistance to regional nursing students and
other apprentices. There are other measures, too, that all go to the benefit of
the people in Western Australia.
Speaking of keeping household fees
and charges well below inflation, what happened to people's household
bills when the Liberals and Nationals were in government? They increased power
prices by a whopping 90 per cent, water usage
charges and rates by 67 per cent and car registrations by an average of $183 a year.
They cut the cost- of-living rebates for over 300 000 pensioners and
seniors, abolished the seniors' safety and security rebate and
increased land taxes to the tune of $1.5 billion, yet they still managed to run
up deficits and debt right through the forward estimates. It was an
extraordinary performance of incompetence that showed a lack of compassion for Western
Australian families who are doing it tough. Thank goodness that we have a WA
Labor government that is absolutely focused on providing cost-of-living relief
to all Western Australians.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Community Services, that is an unnecessary comment.
someone would be anti-cost-of-living relief and, quite frankly, anti-zoo. He is
the one person in this chamber who believes that young families should not have
the opportunity of an affordable day out for themselves and their children. It
is extraordinary. The member opposite is clearly not the one who pays the power
bills in the Rundle household. If he was, he would be coming in and saying, ''Thank
you very much for the $350 credit that recently landed in my power bill just
last month. Thank you, WA government, for being so focused on cost-of-living
measures. Thank you, WA government, for understanding that even though our
economy is really strong at the moment,
there are people who are doing it tough.'' We have a government that is
very committed to making sure that we provide cost-of-living relief. We
have to make sure that that is provided right across the board to not only the
Rundle household, but also families across Western Australia.
Although the member is clearly
daunted by the idea of ducks, I want to explain to the member what we are doing
in relation to the cost of living. I apologise to the Speaker for the lack of
progress today, but this may take some time. We have delivered over $75 million
worth of student assistance payments, money that has gone directly back into
the pockets of Western Australian families. We have made VacSwim free over the
2024–25 summer holidays. Over $2 100 in electricity credits were
provided to all households over four years. It has been a sustained effort.
There has been free public transport for school students, saving up to around
$500 a year; two-zone capped fares; fare-free Sundays; and free transport in
the summer of 2024. There has been a $300 school clothing allowance for
families in need. We capped regional airfares, one of the most successful parts
of our cost-of-living measures. We have kept household fees and charges well
below inflation. We doubled KidSport from $150 to $300 and then increased it
again to $500. We offered free electricity from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm for those
doing it tough and a rent relief program that provides up to $5 000 in
financial assistance. We have introduced laws to ban rent bidding and limit
rent increases. We have reintroduced the seniors' safety and security
rebate, after the Liberal–National government cut it. We have new
payments to support foster carers and grandcarers. We have made TAFE significantly cheaper, which I have already spoken
about, and given financial assistance to regional nursing students and
other apprentices. There are other measures, too, that all go to the benefit of
the people in Western Australia.
Speaking of keeping household fees
and charges well below inflation, what happened to people's household
bills when the Liberals and Nationals were in government? They increased power
prices by a whopping 90 per cent, water usage
charges and rates by 67 per cent and car registrations by an average of $183 a year.
They cut the cost- of-living rebates for over 300 000 pensioners and
seniors, abolished the seniors' safety and security rebate and
increased land taxes to the tune of $1.5 billion, yet they still managed to run
up deficits and debt right through the forward estimates. It was an
extraordinary performance of incompetence that showed a lack of compassion for Western
Australian families who are doing it tough. Thank goodness that we have a WA
Labor government that is absolutely focused on providing cost-of-living relief
to all Western Australians.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Community Services, that is an unnecessary comment.
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