WA Budget: Rita Saffioti promises record spend on cost-of-living relief, including another electricity credit

WA families are set to get more help with electricity bills as Treasurer Rita Saffioti declares she will deliver “the biggest cost-of-living assistance” of any State Budget next month. The Sunday Times understands that come July 1, every WA Synergy account holder will be eligible for an electricity credit, which will shave hundreds of dollars from their bills. The electricity credit is expected to be a key element of the State Government’s cost-of-living Budget measures aimed at providing much-needed relief to West Australians doing it tough. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Ms Saffioti confirmed the Government had decided to provide more “cost-of-living payments” to West Australians — in addition to recently announced measures, including the $103 million student assistance payments. She also promised annual government fees and charges would be kept to below the current inflation rate of 3.6 per cent. Ahead of her first Budget since being appointed Treasurer last June, Ms Saffioti also revealed that a surge in interstate and overseas arrivals into WA was likely to see the State’s population hit three million by the end of this year. As a result, the Government would also spend record amounts in health, education and housing next year to help meet the huge demands on infrastructure and services. Job creation was also another big theme of the May Budget, she said. “Our government is focused on cost-of-living support and that’s why we believe having initiatives like the financial assistance payments to families are far better in providing support to families than freezing fees and charges,” Ms Saffioti said. “It’s either you freeze (fees and charges) or you give cost-of-living payments. We have been looking at cost-of-living support. “You have to look at the whole impact on a household. We are making sure that the whole household is, in real terms, better off.” In last year’s State Budget, power and water costs rose 2.5 per cent. But the Government gave all Synergy account holders in WA a $400 power credit. It’s also likely this year’s power credit will go to all account holders — regardless of income or where people live. Ms Saffioti said many people were doing it tough — even some living in affluent suburbs. “It doesn’t matter what suburb they are in or what sort of other situation they might be in, all families might be experiencing stress and they might not have a concession card to prove it,” Ms Saffioti said. The May 9 Budget is shaping up as Labor’s most important in recent memory, with the party seeking a third term of government in WA. Ms Saffioti said the Budget would again be “in the black”, with December Treasury forecasts showing a surplus exceeding $3 billion for next financial year “We will continue with strong surpluses,” she said. The Treasurer described this year’s Budget as one “for the times”, saying there were significant pressures on the key areas of health, education and housing, exacerbated by the tens of thousands of people now streaming towards WA to live here. “It’s a big-spending Budget,” she said. “It’s a Budget for the times. One of the features of this Budget is reflecting the incredible population growth that we have had in the State. “Last year, we had a population growth of 3.3 per cent to the year ending September 2023. That means 94,000 people. “We believe that by the end of this year, WA will reach a three million population. We are spending record amounts in key services to help feed the growing population.” She said creating jobs and boosting housing supply were other key features of the Budget.