16 May 2022

• $400 Household Electricity Credit to every WA household, supporting Western Australians with cost of living
• Biggest ever investment in WA public health system, with a further record $2.5 billion investment in health and mental health including $252 million to improve access to emergency care and help address systemic causes of ambulance ramping

The McGowan Labor Government’s 2022-23 State Budget has been delivered, with significant investment to benefit locals in the electorates of Burns Beach, Hillarys, Joondalup, Kingsley and Wanneroo.

The budget includes a one-off $400 credit for all WA households on their residential electricity bill, providing the average household with months of bill relief and helping local families to manage the costs of living.

The McGowan Labor Government is delivering the biggest ever investment in the WA public health system, with a further record $2.5 billion investment in health and mental health. This brings the total new investment to $5.7 billion since the last budget.

Locally, the $256.7 million Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) expansion is continuing, with the 12-bay expanded emergency department, which includes the Behavioural Assessment Urgent Care Clinic.  The Behavioural Assessment Urgent Care Clinic will ensure patients behaviourally affected by alcohol and/or drugs are assessed safely without entering the main department and improve patient flow through the provision of specialist inpatient beds. JHC has supported northern suburbs residents through this current health challenge.

Across WA, the 2022-23 Budget includes:

• $1.6 billion in new COVID-19 response and recovery measures to keep WA safe, including securing RATs and to run the WA Free RAT Program
• $252 million package to improve access to emergency care and help address systemic causes of ambulance ramping
• $181 million additional investments in mental health
• Further initiatives to boost our heath care workforce.
• The McGowan Government has already delivered 342 new hospital beds with a total of 530 beds to be delivered by the end of the year – the equivalent of building a new tertiary hospital.

The McGowan Labor Government continues to invest in local schools to ensure all WA students have the best possible opportunities to learn. For our northern suburbs this includes funding towards projects such as:

• $15 million redevelopment of Springfield Primary School in Kallaroo
• $13.9 million upgrades to Greenwood College, including a new sports hall and a new STEM classroom
• $7 million upgrades at Warwick Senior High School, including a new performing arts centre and new STEM classroom

Across WA we are also delivering $54.6 million to increase support for students with disabilities and additional learning needs; $42.5 million for COVID-19 health measures in schools, including Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) distribution for all schools; and $2.5 million to support phonics skill development for Year 1 students across WA.

We know that access to affordable training allows more people to gain meaningful employment. That’s why the McGowan Labor Government is providing more targeted training opportunities for Western Australians.

We continue to deliver our Lower fees, local skills initiative to keep TAFE fees low and annual fee caps across 210 high priority courses, and funding of $5.5 million has been allocated to help mature-aged jobseekers and ex-offenders into jobs.

The McGowan Government also continues to rollout the biggest TAFE capital works program in WA history, with $216 million committed to deliver state-of-the-art facilities providing high-quality, industry-relevant training across the State.

For northern suburbs transport, 2022-23 METRONET milestones include peak construction activities across the Yanchep Rail Extension and the commencement of major construction on the Greenwood Station Multi Storey Car Park.

Funding is provided for continued works on delivering the Mitchell Freeway Extension (Hester Avenue to Romeo Road), the Mitchell Freeway widening southbound (Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue) and the transformation of Mitchell Freeway (Hester Avenue to Warwick Road) to a Smart Freeway.

Locals will benefit from the investment in high-quality shared pathways alongside the Mitchell Freeway works, as part of $46 million to deliver riding and walking facilities to accompany major infrastructure projects, while other state wide funding includes:

• $47 million to expand local bicycle infrastructure
• $62 million to continue with the Principal Shared Path Expansion Program.

In good news for electric vehicle owners and buyers, $22.6 million is allocated for new infrastructure to expand WA’s electric vehicle recharging network, and $36.5 million will provide 10,000 rebates of $3,500 to Western Australians who buy a new electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle up to a value of $70,000.

 Our strong budget position allows us to invest in local initiatives that support safe, strong and fair communities. The budget includes:

• An additional $16.4 million to support the extra 950 new police officers being employed over the next four years, as part of our work to boost overall officer numbers by 15%
• $408 million of additional funding towards housing and homelessness measures
• $67 million increase for emergency services to keep Western Australians safe
• $34.4 million for a range of family and domestic violence prevention and support measures
• $114 million to boost child protection and support services to help keep WA children safe
• $118 million for road safety initiatives and programs

Comments Emily Hamilton:

“On top of the Joondalup Health Campus expansion already underway, this announcement of our biggest ever investment in WA’s public health and mental health system will deliver more beds, more staff and more services for our community.”