(DIR) Home
        
        
       WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti to had down state budget on Thursday May 9
        
 (HTM) Source
        
       ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        
       Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti will hand down her first
       state budget on Thursday, where she is expected to deliver the state's
       seventh straight year surplus.
        
       The mid-year budget review in December forecast a $3.7bn surplus, but
       that could be even higher thanks largely to the income from iron ore
       royalties and WA's contentious share of the GST.
        
       Since 2018, the WA government has received a bigger slice of the GST
       allocation which has helped it continuously record a net surplus.
        
       While other premiers try to fight for shake-up of the GST carve up,
       the WA government - which is a vital battleground for the federal
       election - has been given assurances from the federal government that
       there won't be any changes to the agreement, which is expected to
       increase to 75 cents in the dollar this financial year.
        
       It will be the first budget under Premier Roger Cook since the shock
       retirement of former premier and treasurer Mark McGowan last year.
        
       Cost of living issues are also affecting the resource-rich state, and
       the Cook government has already announced a raft of measures to help
       families and the vulnerable.
        
       The state government has already announced a raft of measures that
       will be funded in the upcoming budget to help vulnerable families and
       support services through the cost of living and housing crisis.
        
       In one of the biggest pre-budget announcements made so far, the
       government has promised to inject $840m into social and affordable
       housing and homelessness initiatives.
        
       Homelessness support services have experienced a huge spike in demand
       during the housing crisis, with Perth's vacancy rate sitting at just
       0.4 per cent in March this year.
        
       The money will be used to increase supply and boost funding for
       homelessness support services to try and get more people into
       permanent accommodation.
        
       To help bring more properties into the long-term rental market a new
       Vacant Property Rental Incentive Scheme will be allocated $5m.
        
       The scheme offers payments to owners of up to 1000 vacant properties
       who are willing to provide a minimum 12-month lease agreement to new
       long-term tenants.
        
       Food relief organisations such as Foodbank, OzHarvest and Second Bite
       will receive $500,000 each to put food on the tables of families
       struggling with increased living costs.
        
       Other measures to help relieve household budgets will include energy
       bill credits, free public transport and free or reduced fee TAFE
       courses.
        
       An additional $96.4m has been allocated towards the prevention of
       family and domestic violence.
        
       Most of that money will be used to expand the operations of a Family
       and Domestic Violence Response Team and establish a 'one stop hub' for
       women and children.
        
       If you are planning a getaway, residents in the northwest and
       travellers to and from the area will benefit from the state
       government's Affordable Airfares Program.
        
       Now in its sixth year, the program subsidises airfares between Perth,
       Broome, Kununurra and Exmouth on Virgin, Qantas, Airnorth and Nexus
       Airlines.
        
       Pensioners in regional WA will also receive a $20.3m boost to their
       Regional Pensioner Travel Cards which will increase in value by $100
       to $675 per year on July 1.
        
       The card enables pensioners to travel more freely in regional areas
       where public transport is limited.
        
       Apprentices in the building and construction industry are set to
       benefit from $52.3m to help them finish their qualifications.
        
       Eligible apprentices will receive $1000 each time they complete a
       milestone throughout their training. They are also entitled to a $1000
       rebate to buy tools and safety equipment at the start or end of their
       apprenticeship.
        
       Employers of apprentices can also receive a grant of $15,000 or
       $12,500 depending on what year of the apprenticeship their employee is
       in and a bonus rate if they employ females or mature aged apprentices
       or trainees.
        
       The state's biggest creative arts sector employers will also receive a
       boost of $5.9m over the next two years which will see organisations
       such as the West Australian Ballet Company, Opera Company, Symphony
       Orchestra benefit from funding.
        
        
        
        
       ______________________________________________________________________
                                                 Served by Flask-Gopher/2.2.1