Appropriation (Recurrent 2025–26) Bill 2025
Appropriation (Capital 2025–26) Bill 2025
Second reading
Resumed from 24 June.
Mr Basil Zempilas (Churchlands—Leader of the Opposition) (12:29 pm): This budget should have been a defining moment—a chance to turn record revenues into meaningful outcomes for families, communities, small businesses and the most disadvantaged Western Australians across our state. Alas, it is instead a mean budget from a miserable government and a missed opportunity for the people.
Let me first acknowledge the strength of Western Australia's economy. Unemployment is low, exports are booming and the resources sector continues to deliver record returns fuelled by global demand. It is a time of economic good fortune, not built on the back of government-led fiscal reform or restraint or economic value creation, but largely on external factors. Prosperity on paper is not enough. Behind the surpluses lies a growing disconnect—a widening gap between the government's narrative of success and the daily reality for many Western Australians. Families are struggling with the cost of living and soaring rents. Small businesses are burdened by over-regulation and escalating costs. Young people are giving up on the dream of ever owning a home, hospitals and schools are stretched, teachers and nurses are burnt out, and more than 34,000 Western Australians are waiting for a place to live.
The Premier told Western Australians during the election campaign that the cost of living was his top priority. He said it multiple times, over and over and over again, yet the first budget after the election demonstrates exactly the opposite. This is a budget with the wrong priorities. The sweeteners promised before the election have been ripped away. VacSwim free entry is gone. KidSport funding has been slashed and much-needed funding for women's health centres is non-existent—in fact, forgotten. These were cynical measures to buy votes and this mean government quietly took them away thinking no-one would notice. The impact on the most vulnerable, the very people we continually hear Labor champion, is devastating—the kid who now cannot play soccer or the single mum who now cannot enrol her children in VacSwim. But according to the member for Fremantle, those kids can just go to the beach to learn how to swim. Try telling that to the people with kids in Kalgoorlie, Newman or Tom Price. The government can find the money for a racetrack in Burswood that nobody wants, but it will not share the benefits of prosperity with the people. How does that work? How can that be?
I know many sitting on the benches opposite will be feeling let down by the Treasurer and the Premier on the decisions made in this budget. We know what they took to their electorates at the most recent election. We know what they had to say. We know what was in the budget last week—decisions that do not support the most disadvantaged in members' electorates or reflect their own values and the values of those whom the Labor Party is so quick to remind us that it champions. Nothing in this budget reflects that. Despite receiving over $117 billion in GST and royalties since 2017, double what the previous government received, Labor has failed to turn that windfall into providing for people, including those people in most need. It failed to turn this good fortune into long-term benefit for the state of Western Australia. Western Australians want more than glossy brochures and photo opportunities; they want a budget that addresses issues and lays the groundwork for future growth based in reality and centred on our comparative advantages.
Instead, they got another budget dominated by a single obsession—Metronet. Members, it is now costing $15.5 billion. That is a running total; not the final total. That is the running total—$15.5 billion—with a $12 billion blowout while frontline services are left behind. This is not just poor prioritisation; it is actively undermining the state's capacity to meet other pressing needs. Western Australians are not asking for the world; they are asking for leadership, affordable housing, timely health care, safe communities, great public schools and real, sustainable cost-of-living relief. This budget could have delivered that. It could have shared the benefits of prosperity more fairly. Instead, it has confirmed what many already suspect—that this government is more focused on pet projects than supporting people of Western Australia and building a better future for them.
The state is awash with revenue driven by record iron ore royalties and surging GST receipts. Despite these windfalls, the Cook Labor government continues to spend beyond its means, pushing Western Australia deeper and deeper into debt. It simply defies belief. We have seen the largest surpluses ever recorded in our state's history—$24 billion over seven years and another $13 billion expected over the forward estimates—yet net debt is forecast to rise to $42.5 billion within just four years. Members, do we remember the debt monster? Are there others in this chamber who remember the debt monster? It will not be long before the debt monster makes a very public reappearance. This is from a government that came to power promising fiscal restraint, claiming it would manage the state's finances like a household mortgage. Remember that? Do members recall the former Premier saying exactly that? Instead, the government has chosen a path of unchecked expenditure, missing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure our long-term financial future.
Even more concerning is that although the headline budget shows an operating surplus, the government is quietly running cash deficits. That means it is spending more than it receives in real terms and covering the difference by borrowing. It is literally going further into debt to deliver pet projects, including a $220 million racetrack at Burswood that nobody wants. I will look around the chamber again and let us see which member will raise their head and say, "Yes, I support it." Which member will raise their gaze towards me and say, "Yes, I want it"? Members, have any eyes lifted?
Despite the member for Victoria Park's great claim that those opposite have a mandate to deliver these projects, we know that she did not have this $217 million project for Victoria Park in her very area on any of her election paraphernalia. I wonder why, because when I reflect on the member for Victoria Park's inaugural speech on 4 May 2021, I note that she said:
The Victoria Park community made me who I am and I am so proud to have the opportunity to repay the investment they have made in me.
…
I love Victoria Park and its people.
She went on to thank Ben Wyatt, the then outgoing member for Victoria Park. She then said:
Another friend of mine, former Premier and member for Victoria Park, Hon Dr Geoff Gallop, rang me the day after the election to reiterate the expectations of our community: they expect their member to make a difference. And I intend to do just that.
I wonder whether the difference the people of Victoria Park were hoping that their member would make was a $217 million racetrack in the middle of Burswood Park that nobody wants. Perhaps that is a matter for her to decide. With a $217 million racetrack at Burswood, $65 million for Roger's rugby team and almost $11 billion in transport projects over the next four years, that is twice the funding provided for much-needed health and education infrastructure. This is not sound economic management; it is short-sighted and unsustainable. The Premier and Treasurer repeatedly claim to be responsible economic managers, yet their record tells a different story.
Surpluses have been squandered, structural reform ignored and long-term debt is still rising. This is not just a fiscal failure; it is a breach of trust. It is astonishing that even as the state posts a $2.4 billion surplus, thousands of Western Australian households are still asking: "What support is there for us in this budget?" Yes, the budget does include some cost-of-living relief, including capping public transport fares, halving Transwa fares and delivering a second round of the WA student assistance payment, but if you do not regularly use public transport or have kids at school, these measures do nothing to assist with the pressure—the pain of paying for groceries, electricity, water, gas, rent, mortgages or running your car. All of those are up. For the thousands of Western Australians doing it tough, including some of the most vulnerable in our state, there is precious little in this budget. Electricity and water charges will go up. Daily electricity supply charge will increase by 138%. As we have mentioned, for the first time ever for Western Australia, getting your car on the road will now cost you more than $1,000 per year. That is for each car in every household. The emergency services levy is increasing by 5%. As Anglicare WA has stated, a portion of our community has really been forgotten here. The ability to target initiatives to be able to support those who are experiencing financial hardship, mental health issues, family and domestic violence or housing instability have really been missed. Unfortunately, this is not just a policy critique; it is the lived reality for many Western Australians—families skipping meals, rationing medication and going without heating. The message from the front line is clear: more needs to be done. However, more was not done. Despite the Treasurer's claim of a $50 reduction in household charges, families will need to find another $400 to cover their bills compared with last year. The reality of the claim of a $50 reduction is $400 extra required in households to cover their bills compared with last year. Over nine years, this government has added $1,200 to household fees and charges. Meanwhile, community services are stretched to breaking point. Food banks, emergency housing providers and financial counsellors are swamped, with many dealing with clients who have never asked for help before.
It is not just households under strain. Small and medium-sized businesses, the backbone of our economy, are also being squeezed. Higher utility bills, licence fees and service charges are eroding their already thin margins. It is getting harder and harder for those businesses to stay open and to keep people employed. The highest payroll tax burden in Australia is also acting as a huge disincentive to employ more Western Australians and for businesses to grow. These are the businesses that train apprentices. They create jobs and they support local communities, yet this government continues to treat them as little more than a cash cow. At a time when the state can afford to ease the pressure, it has instead chosen to tighten the screws.
I heard the Premier say that the strength of our economy should be matched by the strength of our support for those doing it tough, and I agree with him. Those members behind me agreed with the Premier, but, sadly, this budget fails that test. It is deeply troubling that at a time of unprecedented economic prosperity, essential services are deteriorating.
Let us start, shall we, with our failing health system. Under successive Labor governments and successive Labor Ministers for Health—that revolving door—Western Australia's health system has deteriorated, despite the tireless efforts of frontline workers. Hospitals do not have the capacity to deliver the quality care that patients deserve. Elective surgery waitlists have blown out by 50% from 19,000 in 2017 to over 30,000 today. Remember this: those numbers can be misleading; they can act as some measure to take our mind away from the real story. But remember this, members: behind every number is a person living in pain with limited mobility, or a child missing vital opportunities to learn and to grow. Ambulance ramping has increased by 600% to an average of 4,980 hours. Now, we have all heard this before, but it is worth reminding ourselves one more time. The Premier once called 1,030 hours a crisis. That was his word—1,030 hours of ambulance ramping was a crisis. What do we call it now? Do we call it a catastrophe, Armageddon or something that the government is just not capable of fixing ever? Which is it? Astoundingly, WA now has the lowest number of public hospital beds per capita in the country. How is that possible? Only 48% of emergency patients are seen on time. That is the worst result in the nation. These are not just poor statistics; they are dangerous. In child health, the situation is just as grim. Over 10,000 children in Perth are waiting to see a paediatrician, with median wait times blowing out to nearly two years during the most critical stages of development. In some areas, such as Armadale, this extends to almost four years. No more excuses. This is Labor's failure, and it should be embarrassed and ashamed.
The gap between this Labor government's spin on crime and the lived reality for Western Australians is also staggering. While ministers cite broad statistics to claim crime is under control, the facts tell a very, very different story. Under Labor's watch, violent assaults are up by 42% and family and domestic violence offences have risen by 76%. WA now has the highest rate of reported family and domestic violence (FDV) assaults against women in this country. It is 12,154 per 100,000 females, making it the most dangerous state in Australia to be a woman. This crisis is not confined to Perth. Violent crime is up by 62% in Kalgoorlie, 112% in Laverton and 84% in Geraldton.
(Member's time extended.)
Mr Basil Zempilas: Regional communities are pleading for help, but they are being ignored. Police officers are under pressure, under-resourced and increasingly unsupported, and every district is understaffed. Mental health cases amongst officers have surged from 777 in 2019 to 3,327 in 2022. The job is harder and the toll is heavier, yet the government's response has been completely inadequate. Failures like the under-resourced GPS tracking rollout for FDV offenders have only added to frontline burdens. And that is in one of the wealthiest states, if not the wealthiest state, in the nation.
It is shameful that so many Western Australians cannot find an affordable place to live. Despite record surpluses, the housing crisis has worsened under Labor. Rents have soared by 76% since 2020, affordable rentals have virtually disappeared, and the median house price has jumped by 91% in six years. Building a home takes longer in WA than anywhere else in the country. And still over 9,000 people are homeless on any given night. Home ownership is now a distant dream for many, replaced by housing stress and insecurity. The crisis did not come without warning, but Labor has failed to deliver any long-term solutions. Despite countless promises and quoting statistics, very little has happened. How many times, members, have we heard about a laser focus and every lever being pulled? More levers are required and they need to be pulled more often.
Social housing waitlists are 32% larger than they were four years ago and emergency welfare services are overwhelmed. Labor sold off over $200 million in public housing during its first term and reinvested less than $150 million. The result is a net gain of just 114 social housing dwellings in seven years—a net gain of just 114 in seven long years. Labor had the money and the time but lacked any urgency whatsoever. The result is a growing crisis, with vulnerable Western Australians left behind. Housing is not a luxury. It is a foundation for dignity, stability and opportunity. Labor should be held accountable for failing to deliver.
If there is one thing both sides of this place can agree on, it is that every child deserves to learn and every teacher deserves to teach in a world-class education system, but that, sadly, is not the reality in Western Australia today. Our public school system is under immense strain. Since 2019, teacher resignations have more than doubled, with many citing workload, burnout and a lack of support. More teachers are reporting verbal and physical abuse, while student suspensions and exclusions have reached record highs. In some of our biggest primary schools, ovals are being flooded with transportables to manage overcrowding. The libraries and staffrooms are being turned into makeshift classrooms to cope with excessive student numbers. We know that teachers are teaching at recess and at lunchtime to accommodate the excessive numbers of students on a small school footprint. As students' needs become more complex, teachers are reporting little meaningful support and less recognition and respect. All this and the government attempts to siphon nearly $40 million earmarked for schools into consolidated revenue and towards its pet projects. Did the Minister for Education fight the Treasurer on this and lose or did she just let it go through to the keeper? We keep hearing that education is in Labor's DNA, but it cannot hide behind flimsy rhetoric. The government needs to do more in education, and there is simply no excuse for it not to do so.
Let me be clear: the opposition supports major infrastructure projects that are well planned and delivered on time and, critically, on budget. What we oppose and what frustrates many Western Australians is the endless stream of cost and time blowouts, especially with Metronet. Incredibly, this message must be getting through to the government, as this is the first budget not to have a Metronet feature box in the budget papers. It is either that or it is now trying to hide from the community the actual amount it is spending on it. This year's budget allocates yet another $2 billion to Metronet. That takes the total cost of the project to $15.5 billion and the blowout to over $12 billion. Meanwhile, health and education receive just a fraction of that funding. These are not budgeting accidents; these are deliberate choices—choices that prioritise rail lines over hospitals bursting at the seams, over schools filled with demountables and over frontline services stretched to their limits.
The record asset investment program is also damaging the wider economy. With acute workforce shortages, state-led projects are crowding out the private sector. Builders cannot find tradespeople, housing construction is being delayed and regional infrastructure is falling behind. This is not just a housing supply issue; it is a capacity crisis made worse by Labor's obsession with politically driven infrastructure at any cost. Good government is about balance and investing in people, not just in concrete. Western Australians want help with housing, health and education, not more photo ops at train stations. They have had enough of those.
When the new energy minister was appointed in March, there was cautious optimism for a more practical approach. Instead, we have seen more big talk and little delivery. The government remains fixated on long-term decarbonisation targets, but it is failing on the fundamentals. Those fundamentals include ensuring reliable, affordable energy for Western Australians now and, critically, into the future. Despite years of announcements, WA still lacks a clear, funded energy transition plan. There is not enough new generation, storage or grid investment underway to guarantee supply. The opposition has been warning of the impending shortfalls in generation and distribution for some time. Just yesterday, the Australian Energy Market Operator confirmed exactly this with its latest review of our state's energy supply. AEMO acknowledges that more energy will be required at a time when the government is closing down coal-fired generation. Without additional investment, this government's transition plan will fail. It will not be able to keep the lights on and ensure that energy is affordable.
Businesses are already paying the price, with contestable electricity customers facing price hikes of 25% to 45%—a direct result of poor planning and underinvestment. Households will endure a further 2.5% increase in electricity prices this year, and, since 2016, they have been inflicted with a 138% increase in the electricity daily supply charge. Labor's energy road map is underfunded and running out of time. We need an energy plan based on engineering, not ideology—one that secures firm generation, modernises the grid and keeps the lights on at a price that people can afford.
Finally, I turn my attention to my electorate of Churchlands. The former member for Churchlands boasted of 27 commitments worth $10 million for Churchlands during the election campaign. They were presented on a glossy brochure. That is great because if they are all delivered, the community that I represent will have been well looked after. But I want my constituents to know that these 27 projects that were committed to at a forecast cost of around $10 million will need to be delivered as per the commitment at the most recent election. Based on this year's budget, there is good reason to doubt commitments like $700,000 for pedestrian safety near Churchlands Primary School, $60,000 for the Woodlands Primary School library and $75,000 for better storage at the Lake Monger Community Shed. They might be funded at the very end of this four-year term, or maybe not at all, but the people of Churchlands will be watching, and so will their elected member.
I conclude by saying that, after nine budgets and record revenues, this government had every chance to share the benefits of prosperity, courtesy of record revenues and resource royalties and the GST deal. It had the opportunity to futureproof our economy with a vision for the future and a plan to reduce debt, but, instead, we have been handed a budget that is heavy on spin and light on support and solutions. Labor has enjoyed the biggest financial windfall in our state's history—more than double the royalties and GST of the previous Liberal–National government—but rather than invest in the essentials of health care, education, housing and safety, it has prioritised pet projects, driven up debt and passed rising costs on to struggling families. We have seen the result—a healthcare system under immense strain, a worsening housing crisis, rising violent crime, power prices surging for businesses and no sound energy plan, education outcomes slipping and classrooms overcrowded, and Western Australians hit with higher fees and charges despite a multibillion-dollar surplus. Western Australians want cost-of-living relief, affordable housing, quality schools and accessible health care, not a racetrack at Burswood. They deserve a government that invests in people, especially those doing it tough, and they deserve a government that invests in the future of this state. They deserve better than the mean-spirited and short-sighted budget the Treasurer has just delivered.
Ms Emily Hamilton (Joondalup—Parliamentary Secretary) (12:59 pm): I rise to make a contribution to the Appropriation (Recurrent 2025–26) Bill 2025 and the Appropriation (Capital 2025–26) Bill 2025 and the first budget delivered by Premier Roger Cook and Treasurer Rita Saffioti in the 42nd Parliament. It is a pleasure to stand before this chamber as the re-elected member for Joondalup for both my third term and the third term of the Cook Labor government and to deliver my contribution to the budget debate, placing on record my strong support for this responsible, forward-looking budget delivered by our government. This is a budget that continues our government's unwavering focus on building Western Australia's future, investing in infrastructure, supporting local jobs and delivering cost-of-living relief when Western Australians need it most. As the proud member for Joondalup, I am pleased to see that this budget continues to back our local community in delivering the services, transport and opportunities that people in the northern corridor rely on.
Joondalup is a vibrant, growing community—a destination of choice for families, workers, students and retirees. It is one of the fastest growing regions in the state, and this budget responds directly to the needs of my community. I am sure that each of us thinks we represent the best place in our great state, but I can say that Joondalup is truly something special. As Perth's second CBD, Joondalup has seen significant investment by this government over the past two terms. We are now doing our part to support the northern corridor, one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and to train WA's future workforce.
This ninth budget of WA Labor is one that focuses on growing our economy and supporting diversification and a future made in WA. WA is the powerhouse of the nation, a place where we are creating jobs and opportunities for young people. We are supporting new housing supply and continuing to invest in our health system and our hospitals. We are investing in education and prioritising key economic infrastructure that will power new industries and deliver new jobs. In this budget, we are investing a further $963 million to continue to support WA households. We are not only working to address the challenges of today but also making and creating a stronger WA for generations to come.
Our community is home to a diverse range of educational institutions that are shaping the future of our young people—schools that provide quality education in a way in which our young people can thrive. As a mum, there is nothing more important than being able to set up my kids for future success. We know that education is the foundation for a successful life. It equips people with the skills, knowledge and interpersonal abilities that enable them to thrive in life and make a contribution to their community. The Cook Labor government understands how important it is to be investing in education across this state to provide opportunities for thousands of young people.
In this term, I have the privilege to hold the position of parliamentary secretary to Minister Sabine Winton in the portfolios of education, early childhood, preventative health and the Wheatbelt. In this budget, we are investing an additional $1.8 billion in education and training. This includes the landmark Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, signed by the Cook state Labor government and the Albanese federal Labor government, which will, for the first time, deliver 100% of the schooling resource standard funding to our public schools. This momentous deal closes a chapter of the Gonski reforms from over a decade ago. It is important to remember that, at that time, Colin Barnett refused nearly $1 billion to boost education funding in WA because he was too busy playing politics. That meant that schools across the community were forced to wait four years until the 2017 election of our Labor government for any action to be taken on fairly funding our schools. Unlike those opposite, we are here to fully embrace the transformative powers of schools and education. With additional funding from the Commonwealth government now locked in, all WA public schools will get more resources from 2026, with the most disadvantaged schools to receive a boost this year. This landmark agreement takes support for our schools to the next level, ensuring that no child in a WA public school is left behind.
The Cook Labor government is delivering record investment in education, skills and training, whether that is capital funding for building new schools in the suburbs and in the regions, funding for education initiatives and programs or direct support for parents and their children. We are seeing $29 million for the pilot of free full-time kindy; $15 million to support more schools to provide before-school and after-school care; $10 million to support school canteens and to provide healthy and affordable lunches; and $85 million for the first tranche of upgrades to classrooms, sporting facilities and playground equipment, as well as the Cool the Schools program. We will see the delivery of $134 million for new and upgraded schools and a further $124 million for increased school maintenance. On top of this, thousands of parents are benefiting right now from the Cook Labor government's WA student assistance payment, delivering $150 for each kindy and primary school student and $250 for secondary school students. This is the second time this payment has provided support to parents. For those who need additional support, we have boosted our targeted assistance. Those who receive funds under the secondary assistance scheme received over $300 at the start of 2025 for their school clothing allowance. This targeted additional support has delivered a total of $535 a year to support low-income families.
When we first introduced the cost-of-living support measures in 2024, the Liberals opposed it. WA families would have been left behind. But because the Cook Labor government was laser focused on supporting WA families with the cost of living, we instead made sure that families could make the most of the educational opportunities across the state. It is important that members of Parliament get out and about in our own communities to share opportunities that are available to local families, including the student assistance payments. I hope members on the other side of the house have been out sharing this information. I am not too sure. It would be a shame if this was a missed opportunity and people chose not to share this information with their community. Personally, I have been to Eddystone Primary School to share information with parents. The day I was handing out flyers also happened to be National Walk Safely to School Day. Lots of parents and students were making their journey to school, including in a walking school bus led by the principal. Walk Safely to School Day is an important opportunity to inform and remind our young people about the good habits of walking, biking and scooting to school. Getting active on the way to school and being independent while doing so is something we all want to be able to empower our children to do. The national event is part of National Road Safety Week and is a great reminder to be physically, mentally and environmentally aware of the health benefits of walking to school.
I have also been to Edgewater, Connolly, Heathridge, Joondalup, Currambine and Poseidon Primary Schools, Francis Jordan Catholic School and Ocean Reef Senior High School to share this information. I will continue to be out and about sharing information about the WA student assistance payment for the next week and a half, reminding parents that they have until the end of this school term, 4 July, to get their applications in.
We have amazing schools in Joondalup. Last month we celebrated Parents and Citizens Association Day. Parents and caregivers make an enormous contribution to our schools. I made sure to show my gratitude again to our local P&Cs across Joondalup with a card and a nice box of choccies. It is just a small way I can say thank you to everyone who gets involved in their P&C and supports their school community. On behalf of our Joondalup community, I want to say thank you to those P&Cs. Our schools would not be the same without them. I do my best as the member for Joondalup to get out and about and support all our communities, particularly those P&Cs and P&Fs that conduct fundraising and activities. I provide support with financial contributions and donations to prizes for school fundraisers, sponsor students and young athletes who are achieving so much, and provide donations for bike vouchers to encourage walking and riding to school.
The role of a local member in supporting schools is wide and varied, but, at the core, that is why we are here—to support and look after our community. Every year I make sure to invite our student leaders from across Joondalup to our Parliament for a tour and morning tea. It is a wonderful opportunity for student leaders to see the heart of our democracy and to connect their learning to this place. I look forward to welcoming many more student leaders through the front doors of this building throughout the year. In particular, Mater Dei College years 11 and 12 student leaders will be joining me here this Friday.
I am so proud that our Labor government has delivered upgrades and new facilities across the schools in Joondalup. At the last election, I committed to extending that support further to every school in my electorate. This includes new STEM labs at all public primary schools and building the new Burns Beach Primary School. Over $15 million of upgrades were delivered to Ocean Reef Senior High School and $5 million to Belridge Secondary College over previous years. At the recent WA election, I made sure that each of our local school communities was receiving additional support to support commitments. Over $50 million worth of upgrades are being provided to my schools, such as $30 million for upgrades at Ocean Reef Senior High School to deliver new state-of-the-art facilities, including a new classroom block for science and food and technology classes and a roof replacement at the school. A further $18 million is being provided for upgrades at Belridge Secondary College, delivering a new sports hall and sports science centre to enable students to perform and study sport in these amazing new facilities. As I said, every primary school across the electorate is set to receive some support. Edgewater Primary School will receive just over $1 million for major upgrades to the undercover area and a shade cover over the sports courts.
Connolly Primary School will receive $400,000 for new playground equipment and covers over its play area for students. It was great to catch up recently with the Connolly Primary School P&C and school principal, Mrs Appleton, at one of its regular meetings, and to hear about the excitement for the possibility of this funding unlocking extra opportunities for kids at the school.
Education is a great equaliser. This budget strengthens our commitment to building skills for the future. Through TAFE fee-free courses and expanded training in areas like cybersecurity and renewable energy, local students in Joondalup will have more pathways to secure meaningful employment. The previous government increased TAFE fees by up to 500%. That meant that skills and training became unattainable and unreachable for many, but under our government, we have reached a new high of 165,000 enrolments in TAFE, while over 46,000 young people have accessed our fee-free TAFE courses in 2024. In this budget, we have invested a further $100 million to keep the cost of TAFE courses low or free. Joondalup's learning precinct with North Metropolitan TAFE, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Western Australia Police Academy and the College of Electrical Training are all key to WA's future skills pipeline, and I will continue to advocate for investment that ensures that we are leveraging this unique collaboration. Most recently, we have seen a $15.6 million investment at the Joondalup police academy. This extra funding, which was an election commitment, will upgrade the housing on site to provide free accommodation to regional police recruits for the full six months of their training. It is great to see that additional investment. Like I said, we are doing our part to train the future of WA's police force.
This year's budget continues to deliver on our commitment to provide accessible and quality health care close to where people live. It provides a $1.4 billion boost to our health system, which includes more funding for hospitals and more investment in health infrastructure. Since taking office in 2017, our investment in health and mental health has been unprecedented. We have expanded our health workforce by 42%, or almost 5,600 nurses and 2,300 doctors. Locally, in Joondalup, we are seeing the Joondalup Health Campus grow into one of the largest hospitals in the country. We are seeing significant investment continue as we complete the final stages of the $307.9 million public expansion, which has seen the opening of the new mental health observation area, a palliative care unit, a comprehensive stroke unit, a multistorey car park that has doubled the number of bays on site, major upgrades to the emergency department and a new youth-inclusive 102-bed mental health unit. Just this morning, I joined the Minister for Health; Mental Health and the Minister for Health Infrastructure on site at the official opening of the new 106-bed public ward block, which has also seen a new expanded theatre and two new catheterisation labs, including a state-of-the-art cardiac care unit. By doubling the number of cath labs, we are doubling the number of guided cardiac and vascular procedures that can be carried out to about 3,000 per year. Our government has an ambitious $3.2 billion health infrastructure program, and the expansion of Joondalup Health Campus is a core component of that agenda. Investment in and expanding Joondalup Health Campus over recent years has made a significant difference for local families and people needing access to health care, and I welcome the continued support for our health system in this budget. Today's announcement comes on the back of a visit with the Premier just last week that saw the commitment of a further $24 million for 60 beds that will be fitted out by mid-2026.
One of the challenges locally is the presentations to our emergency department, which, ultimately, should be treating life-threatening emergencies. Our government continues to roll out the WA virtual emergency department, a pioneering investment that is improving access to health care across the community. The service is available to connect patients with experienced emergency clinicians for virtual medical assessments and referrals to get the care they need in the community or at home. Now people who call directly seeking medical advice may be offered a WAVED consultation instead of having to go to the emergency department. Expanding WAVED is part of our plan to take the pressure off our hospitals and continue to deliver world-class health care close to home.
In this budget, we are delivering an additional $61 million for the establishment of three older adult care hubs to provide additional care to people closer to their homes.
On other health-related matters, our government is continuing the rollout of the free flu vaccine. On a recent visit to the Iluka pharmacy earlier this month, I met Dr Jyothi Tegginamath and her team. That was a perfect opportunity for me to also grab my flu shot. It is a quick and easy jab, but it can be so impactful for slowing down the spread of flu in our community, particularly for young and old ones who are more susceptible to the worst impacts.
We are continuing to protect the youngest members of our community, with $7.6 million in this budget to continue our free respiratory syncytial virus program for newborns. Part of our plan also includes expanding WA's capacity for medical research. We know that Joondalup, Perth's second CBD, is already home to world-class health infrastructure, but it is also fast becoming a place for health researchers and providers to come and do business and support our community. I recently visited and toured Linear Clinical Research with CEO, Jayden Rogers. Joondalup is considered to be a national leader in clinical trials. It is at the cutting edge of medical innovation. We are delivering real results and attracting world-class health researchers and providers to the area.
Joondalup continues to benefit from this government's record transport infrastructure investment. In particular, we have seen the critical extension of the freeway and rail line northbound to connect our northern corridor with the Joondalup CBD. The successful delivery of the Yanchep rail extension as part of Metronet is transforming our northern suburbs, providing greater access to employment, education and recreational opportunities. We know that Metronet has transformed our cities and suburbs, making travel more affordable and accessible, and taking cars off our roads. I am proud that Joondalup is at the heart of the growing transport network in the northern corridor. This budget continues our government's commitment to high-quality public transport, road safety and upgrades and investment in Metronet by connecting people, reducing connections and creating local jobs. More importantly, we have a lot to look forward to as the northern suburbs continue to evolve and develop. We are seeing the connection for residents north of Joondalup directly with our maturing city centre, which will not only grow our local economy as more people come and visit, but also boost opportunities for our local businesses. It is my vision and great hope that those residents north of Joondalup will never need to travel any further south to access all the services they need.
(Member's time extended.)
Ms Emily Hamilton: It is a big vision, but one that our government is delivering the critical investment for to make a reality.
While I am talking about transport, of course I would never pass up the opportunity to share again Joondalup's pivotal role in the trial of Perth's first electric bus technology, which has transformed our public transport network. In fact, it was home to the first electric buses on Perth's streets following my successful advocacy for a trial back in 2019. I took my proposal to the now Deputy Premier, and, in just six years, every new bus built in WA will be fully electric. Transitioning to a fully electric bus fleet in WA is an important milestone for our transition to zero-emissions public transport. I am proud of the role that Joondalup has played in trialling this cutting-edge technology. It is already helping to cut emissions, while providing more options for affordable public transport. We are building those buses here to help diversify our economy and create local jobs for Western Australians. We are seeing the continuation of this new electric technology. In this budget, we have seen an investment of $107 million to deliver Metronet on the Swan and the electric ferry service.
This government's flagship policy, Made in WA, is all about helping diversify our economy, getting local manufacturing back at full steam and training our workforce with a range of new skills. As I have mentioned, Joondalup is at the forefront of WA's transition to an electric and also digital economy. We have seen the successful return of railcar manufacturing to WA, and now we are going further and boosting our local manufacturing capabilities. We will make our electric CAT buses and the new electric ferries, and we will ensure that WA has a pipeline of works and builds new centres of expertise.
This budget continues to back innovation and diversification, which is something I am deeply passionate about. In the cyber space, we know that Joondalup is a world-renowned leader. Back when we were first elected, we funded WA's very first CyberWest Hub in Joondalup, located in the Joondalup Learning Precinct. WA's first innovation hub focused on cybersecurity. This budget focuses on digital capability, technology and cybersecurity aligning to the work that we are doing locally. This precinct is the result of collaboration and co-location of Edith Cowan University, the Western Australia Police Academy and Joondalup TAFE. Together they work to break down barriers and increase investment and output in pioneering cyber technology.
The Joondalup CyberWest Hub features a hacker and defender room and cutting-edge technology, and is blazing a trail for the innovation and cyber industry in WA. We have a connected and engaged cyber ecosystem here. Our cybersecurity capability, particularly in Joondalup, is a real asset nationally. In fact, nationally, 20% of cyber graduates come from ECU in Joondalup. At the end of May, I had the pleasure of attending the welcome reception of the 2025 CyberWest Summit held at the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct in Neerabup. The CyberWest Summit is a wonderful opportunity to meet industry leaders, build connections and discover emerging opportunities for cybersecurity and innovation in both our northern corridor and beyond.
Western Australia continues to experience significant population growth. We have seen a focus on housing in this budget because of the desire of young people to purchase a home and our older generations wanting to downsize and stay in their local community. We are embarking on a generational rethink of how we deliver for our community across many different initiatives. We are boosting the construction workforce, delivering the first investment of the innovative $400 million Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund and delivering cuts to stamp duty that will support some 5,500 first home buyers annually, with additional support for those in the regions. We are creating more opportunities for home ownership, with $210 million for 1,000 shared-equity loans in new apartment and townhouse developments, as well as $75 million in no-interest and low-interest loans to support more affordable build-to-rent developments.
Of course, we are delivering for my Joondalup community—delivering for our schools, our community organisations and our sporting clubs. I will mention a few of those commitments here. On the sporting front, it has been a busy end to summer sport and start to winter sport. In April, I was pleased to take part in the Joondalup Districts Cricket Club Junior Awards night to celebrate its talented juniors. Last night I hosted some of the club's female players here at Parliament House to celebrate a win they had against their fathers at a match during the summer season. We have seen significant growth of female participation in sport across many codes and it is great to be able to reaffirm our Cook Labor government's commitment to supporting not only the Joondalup Districts Cricket Club with a $3 million upgrade of the Joondalup Sports Association facility that will facilitate its new under-17 female team and open new opportunities for training and playing in the evening, but it will also support our Joondalup Bowling Club and our Joondalup City Football Club.
We will also deliver $18 million worth of upgrades to Belridge Secondary College that will support growth in sport. I recently joined the season launch of the Joondalup Wolves Basketball Club, which will benefit from a $2 million commitment. I am proud to be sponsoring it again this season with my parliamentary colleague Mark Folkard, and I have already gone to a number of games of local basketball clubs. I often provide the opportunity for my colleagues to come along as well.
It was an absolute pleasure to join the Joondalup Brothers Rugby Union Football Club as it recently kicked off its 11th season in the premier grade competition. There was a lot of excitement there for the $90,000 of upgrades that we will be providing to the Joondalup Sports Club. The upgrades will provide a range of improvements, including a new barbecue and patio, additional seating and more storage. This commitment will enhance the experience of approximately 2,000 playing members from a number of codes, as well as the families and supporters who use the venue. That includes the Joondalup Netball Club that I had the pleasure of visiting last weekend, when I got quite wet with that weather! The Joondalup Brothers rugby club and the Joondalup Athletics Centre will also benefit from those commitments.
In terms of support for our community organisations, I will be delivering a new vehicle for Dandelions WA and supporting Youth Futures NEST program, Community Vision, the Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence, the Spiers Centre and the Joondalup Men's and Women's Sheds, amongst a number of other commitments locally.
I could keep talking about how wonderful this budget is for the people living in my electorate. It is a budget that reflects what matters to our community: targeted cost-of-living support, investment in public infrastructure, expanded health services and a continual focus on building local skills and jobs. The Cook Labor government is delivering for Joondalup and for WA now and into the future. I am proud to stand with a government that is responsible, compassionate and focused on the long-term prosperity of all Western Australians, and I commend the budget to the house.
Ms Libby Mettam (Vasse—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (1:24 pm): I rise on behalf of my electorate of Vasse, as shadow Minister for Health and Mental Health, shadow Minister for Defence Industries and AUKUS and the shadow Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, to respond to the Labor government's ninth budget, the Cook budget.
Let me start with my own electorate and community and share the concerns I have that I know will be echoed by my member colleagues across the South West region. The Cook Labor government has again wilfully neglected community health services, local enterprise, education and households facing financial uncertainty in Vasse. Western Australia's unprecedented rate of population growth is putting pressure on key services across our state, including in my electorate. For a budget that was sold as a beacon of diversification for our mining-dependent state, there was no funding for a new terminal at the Busselton Margaret River Airport. Without a new terminal, one of the state's most successful regional tourism initiatives, direct Busselton–Eastern States flights, cannot expand and international flights cannot be introduced. Successive Labor ministers have tried to either unpick or limit this initiative put in place by the former Liberal–National government. Minister Papalia once called the project a "pup". Minister McTiernan tried to unpick the runway extension deal and finally pulled funding for the new terminal, promising it would be back on the table if Eastern States flights prove viable. Dogged determination and commitment from the City of Busselton has seen this project succeed to the point at which there are now six passenger flights a week to and from Melbourne and Sydney—operating at more than 80% capacity—and an additional three intrastate flights to Perth. The number of fly-in fly-out flights operating from the terminal has grown from 10 a week in 2018 to 38 in 2024. However, the lack of a suitable terminal means only one flight can be handled at a time, and interstate visitors are often left sitting on the floor because there are simply not enough seats in a terminal that has often been described as a tin shed. The airport is also vital emergency infrastructure for the region. It was used by 309 Royal Flying Doctor Service flights in 2024, while the Surf Life Saving WA helicopter and Department of Fire and Emergency Services large air tankers are based there as well.
It is not only big-ticket infrastructure items that the Cook Labor government has ignored. Vital services such as Radiance Southwest, which provides one-on-one support to women who are struggling to navigate new parenthood, needed only $250,000 to continue its outreach service for women living between Bunbury, Collie and Augusta. Manager of Radiance, Anne Mackay, says the organisation will now have to find a way to step up its own fundraising efforts to ensure that this vital service can continue. In Australia, suicide is a leading cause of maternal death, and without this critical outreach program, these women will have nothing. According to Anne, many of the women they help are so unwell that leaving their home and travelling to Perth or any other areas for treatment is just not possible. She is very concerned about these women who feel vulnerable and isolated.
I turn now to defence industries and AUKUS. In today's uncertain geopolitical climate, securing our borders is more important than ever. AUKUS, initiated by the former federal coalition and supported by the WA Liberal Party in opposition, remains on track. WA's strategic Indian Ocean location gives us a vital role in defence and AUKUS-related industries. I commend the Premier on his UK trip to reaffirm WA's commitment. AUKUS presents major opportunities to diversify our economy and local industry and train a highly skilled workforce, solidifying WA's role in national defence. Submarine Rotational Force-West is set for HMAS Stirling in 2027, and Western Australia must be ready to maintain these submarines and support continuous shipbuilding or risk losing ground to South Australia. While the federal government has invested in Henderson Defence Precinct and HMAS Stirling, concerns remain over housing for defence personnel, state infrastructure and key services.
The energy grid, road upgrades and transport links must be addressed. Despite $2 million for road safety being set aside, or at least announced during the election campaign, no timeline or funding has been announced. With the Garden Island based workforce expected to nearly triple by 2040, better communication on funding and timelines is needed. Stakeholders also need clarity around the common-user facility, including where it will go and how it will be replicated. There are expectations from stakeholders that there will be announcements on this matter soon, and I certainly hope for that.
The Liberal and National Parties remain fully committed to AUKUS and its success. While I commend the government for its support for AUKUS pact, it is quite a different story when it comes to other portfolios, such as the prevention of family and domestic violence. The Cook government's efforts in this critical area have fallen well short of what is required to both prevent family and domestic violence and support victims of this epidemic. Western Australia remains the most unsafe state in the nation to be a woman. According to police statistics, between March 2018 and March 2025, the number of family assaults in WA increased from over 1,800 to over 3,300. That shameful 86% increase well outstrips population growth. In a belated effort to address a significant increase in the number of breaches of family violence restraining orders, this government promised GPS monitoring to track dangerous repeat offenders in real time wherever they were.
What an unmitigated mess the rollout of the GPS proved to be, with the regions effectively left off the map. We had rolling versions of exactly where offenders could be tracked. We had police telling one version, members of the judiciary being told another and the Minister for Corrective Services shushing everyone up and telling another version. I think the inclusion in the budget of funds to implement GPS monitoring beyond Perth answers any questions anyone might have about just where the coverage extended in the initial rollout. In short, regional women and families were an afterthought. Terrifyingly, in WA, a family violence restraining order is breached, on average, every 44 minutes. That means either in the past 22 minutes or in the coming 22, by the time I finish on my feet, a family or individual in WA will be under threat by a violent offender who is well known to them. Those breach numbers are not going down. We are on track to see an increase from over 10,200 last year to over 12,000 in the coming year. There has never been more pressure on refuges and support services.
We welcome the government's $33 million commitment to expand refuges and the Safe at Home program. Other organisations that were promised funding were not so lucky. The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing, already overwhelmed by a backlog that includes domestic violence victims, was one such organisation. The Premier's promise of $14 million to empower WA women was nowhere in the budget. Alison Evans from the Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing stated:
We were shocked and so disappointed when there was no trace of the announcement in Thursday's State Budget. This funding uplift was urgent.
While the Premier has since promised there will be funding going forward, Alison quite rightly points out these women cannot wait another year for another budget. She stated:
They were sincerely apologetic about any confusion or the consequences, but that's kind of too late now …
Altogether it'll be nearly 12 months of these services really battling to meet that unmet need … this is about real women and their physical and mental health, I just think it's deeply unfair.
Sadly, these women will likely be able to visit Rita's racetrack before these organisations they rely on to support their health get funding. The government also seems to think there is going to be a miracle and that demand for early intervention and support services in relation to family and domestic violence is going to reduce. What else, other than a miracle, would account for a reduction in funding going forward? It is here in the budget on page 498; $166 million reduces to $130 million. Perhaps it is the same miracle that is going to see the need for targeted sexual violence services disappear after just one year. That is on page 494 of the budget; it shows just one year of $5 million funding.
I would now like to address the government’s significant broken promises and failures in the portfolios of health and mental health.
Amendment to motion
Ms Libby Mettam: I move:
To delete the word "now" and insert after the word "time" the following—
after the Minister for Health has explained to the house why the government has failed to deliver on the important election commitments and promises to support our ailing health system, while prioritising the funding for a racetrack ahead of these key promises in the budget.
Although under the portfolio of the prevention of family and domestic violence, this motion obviously also relates to the $14 million election commitment to women's health, which has been left out of the budget. Another particularly sad entry in the budget was this government's allocation to build an eating disorders residential facility with just $5 million for planning. I have met with parents who are literally watching their children fade away and know that a residential facility offers the best hope for successful treatment for children like theirs. In 2019, our former federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, announced $63 million to fund six residential eating disorder centres across Australia, including one in Western Australia. Every other state progressed a facility. This government turned its back. During the election campaign, I was joined by a mother who had just returned from taking her daughter for treatment in the Queensland facility. This is not just a case of a broken promise, but a telling insight into the regard with which the Cook government holds youth mental health and mental health in this state. Eating disorders can be one of the most preventable mental health conditions but, if ignored, one of the most fatal. It is astounding the government has dragged its feet when every other state has stepped up.
The Cook government promised very little during the election campaign to fix the state's overwhelmed health system. It has delivered even less in the budget. There is a huge disconnect between what the Cook Labor government promised and what it has funded. The Premier's two big-ticket items in the election campaign to fix ambulance ramping were $104 million and $104.8 million to expand and refurbish the emergency departments at Royal Perth Hospital and Midland Public Hospital. The Premier has repeated the promise and stated in Parliament last week that there will be funding for election commitments, including expanding Royal Perth Hospital's emergency department and St John of God Midland Public Hospital. The budget includes just two amounts of $5 million for planning and nothing in the out years—not one cent. By contrast, Rita's racetrack has a fully funded commitment of $217 million.
Point of order
Dr Tony Buti: The member has been here long enough to know that she should not refer to members by their name without their title. If the member wants to say that is the name of the racetrack, that is just a blatant lie.
The Acting Speaker: I will not uphold that point of order, but I will encourage members to use the correct title for ministers, please.
Proceeding resumed
Ms Libby Mettam: By contrast, the Treasurer's $217 million racetrack is fully funded over four years in the budget. There is no need for planning—just bowl in and build it. This is a Labor government that has turned its back on the people who rely on our public health system, like the 15-year-old student who was facing blindness while waiting to have cataract surgery at Perth Children's Hospital only to have the surgery cancelled again and again because there were not enough theatres or surgeons. Our health workers continue to do more with less, with three quarters feeling undervalued and only half saying they feel safe to speak up and challenge the way things are done. There are patients like Derek from Gidgegannup who, because of the postcode health lottery in this state, cannot get essential oncology radiation near where he lives, or the man with a rare neurological disease whose family contacted my office last week. This man was left cold, extremely sick and with no food for 28 hours at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital's emergency department waiting for a bed. It is a familiar story.
The Premier and Minister for Health continue to tell us how proud they are of their investment in our health system. I challenge them to tell these people how proud they are of the service they received. While promising ED upgrades during an election campaign but failing to fund them is a broken promise, I am unsure what I would call a 7% cut to the funding to operate these EDs.
(Member's time extended.)
Ms Libby Mettam: There will be $100 million less to run our EDs in 2026–27 than there is in the coming year. How can this possibly work when the number of ED presentations at Midland Health Campus is on a trajectory to grow by 38%? The most recent Productivity Commission report has already found that WA had the worst wait times for urgent emergency department presentations, with less than half seen within the recommended time.
The Premier and health minister continue to play a game of smoke and mirrors with hospital bed numbers. The Premier claimed 800 hospital beds were added in three years, yet neither he nor the minister have identified where these beds are or whether they are new, replaced, being relocated or refurbished. Even with notice, the minister could not provide details to Parliament and confusingly claimed EDs do not have stated bed capacities. How are staff expected to be rostered on without understanding the capacity? I take the opportunity to again raise this question.
To continue with the smoke and mirrors game with our hospital beds, we can also see the issue facing Albany. The Premier made an election commitment to expand Albany Health Campus by 60 beds. It is more smoke and mirrors again. This was an important commitment given a 2022 inquiry by the WA Country Health Service in Albany said it had an inability to meet patient care demand for the Great Southern community. During the election campaign, the then health minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, went as far as to say:
We will be seeking to have these beds operational by early 2027, and they will enable a range of opportunities for this health campus
I suggest those will be very limited opportunities given the budget contains just $1 million this year and no further funding going forward.
Care close to home and equity of access to care is something members of the opposition are also very passionate about. Public hospitals and their allied services are vital for all of us, and access to these hospitals and services must be available to all. However, many WA cancer patients find that they are losing numbers in the postcode lottery for access to oncology radiation treatment. This is a situation that sees public access to radiation oncology at Sir Charles Gardner Hospital or St John of God Murdoch Hospital and private providers in Rockingham and Mandurah provided with no out-of-pocket cost to public patients, while public patients in the northern and eastern suburbs must travel several hours or wear the cost for this essential daily cancer treatment.
The Minister for Health said this would be dealt with in the budget. Please, minister, we cannot see a line item for this. Myself, and in particular my colleagues the members for Kalamunda and Carine, and other members in this place in the National Party are passionate about this issue. We sincerely hope for the sake of these cancer patients that the minister can explain where the funding is.
Although investment in health infrastructure is important, it is only part of the picture. The Health Consumers' Council WA has rightly pointed out that our system is bottlenecked not due to a lack of care, but a lack of options to safely discharge patients into the community. It highlighted that it was hoping to see meaningful investment and radically different models of care as recommended by the government's own sustainable health review. Models like community connectors and social prescribing are already proving effective at keeping people well and out of hospital by addressing social isolation, chronic illness and post-discharge support. It remains disappointing that while existing programs like Silver Chain have received funding, there is nothing new in the budget to support these kinds of innovative community-based solutions that will define a more sustainable and patient-focused healthcare system into the future. It is another missed opportunity.
I will finish on the story of a nine-year-old little boy called Jacob. His mother, Zhia, had been told he will have to wait 42 months to see a paediatrician to be assessed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Zhia knows that left undiagnosed and untreated, ADHD could have lifelong detrimental consequences for Jacob. Although I condemn this government for allowing this situation to happen, I acknowledge and commend the Premier's election commitment to pave the way for GPs to diagnose ADHD and prescribe medication by trialling specialist support for GPs while they expand their scope of practice. The commitment was welcomed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. It has the support of the WA Liberals and the WA Nationals and we made a similar election commitment that would potentially be life-changing for Jacob. But again, there is no apparent funding for this promise in the budget. For Jacob's sake and for thousands like him, I look forward to being corrected.
Again, this seems like it was an afterthought, like women's health. It sounds like it has been forgotten. I know a number of key stakeholder groups have raised concerns since the budget has been handed down about whether funding is available to uplift the skill set for GPs. For Jacob's sake and for thousands like him, I look forward to seeing the detail of where this funding is in the budget. But if this funding has been forgotten, like the desperately needed funds for women's health centres, please be honest and let us know. The opposition will continue to do its job and remind the minister's government of its obligation to deliver on what has been promised.
Minister, our children cannot wait. Eating disorder patients cannot wait. Our emergency departments cannot wait. Albany Health Campus cannot wait. Cancer patients cannot wait. Women's health centres cannot wait. However, a racetrack certainly can wait. This is a missed opportunity. This budget has extraordinary riches thanks to an iron ore boom and a GST fix, but it has failed to deliver for patients, our health workers and the hospitals of Western Australia. It reeks of a government that has its priorities all wrong. I will now sit down and allow my colleagues to also speak to this motion.
Visitors
The Acting Speaker: Before I give the call to the member for Kalamunda, I just want to acknowledge the students from Halls Head Primary School on behalf of the member for Dawesville. Welcome. Where are you guys from? Perth Mod? I would like to acknowledge the students from Perth Modern School on behalf of the member for Nedlands. Welcome to you all.
Proceeding resumed
Mr Adam Hort (Kalamunda) (1:49 pm): Thank you, Acting Speaker (Ron Sao). A nice touch.
I rise to support the amendment moved by the shadow Minister for Health. Many here will know that before entering Parliament I had the absolute pleasure to work in our hospital system for many, many years. It was an honour to serve there. I have seen firsthand the pressures, delays and frustration that patients and staff suffer every single day, and this has only got worse with time. When the government claims it has never invested more in health, I think about what that actually looks likes for people on the ground. The government's track record on health is abysmal with record hospital ramping, ballooning waitlists, staff burnout and a health bureaucracy that keeps growing while frontline pressure gets worse. One headline came out in the election and it is still on the Premier's website today. It states:
We've added over 800 new beds to the system—the equivalent of a new Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Except it is not. When that line came out, my phone blew up. At the time, I was a candidate in the election. I had many connections and continue to have those connections in both the public and private health and hospital systems. The question was resounding: 800 beds—where are they? One surgeon texted me and said, "Well, if they find the operating surgeries or the theatres at Fiona Stanley Hospital that they have created anew, please let me know where they are." Let us be clear: a new tertiary hospital is not just beds on a spreadsheet. It is a functioning emergency department; it is intensive care beds; it is highly specialised services; it is operating theatres; it is cancer day chairs; it is dialysis; it is imaging; it is mental health and support staff. It is not just 800 beds, even if the 800 beds actually exist. Saying it is the equivalent of Fiona Stanley Hospital is misleading. Beds do not save lives; staff and systems do. Sure, an expansion should be celebrated. If these 800 beds exist, that should be celebrated—I want to make that very clear here today. But do not dress it up as a new tertiary hospital, because it is not. It is not just misleading; it is damaging because it gives the false impression that our system is improving when in reality it is under immense and growing strain. More concerningly, if it is not misleading, it just speaks to a really fundamentally poor understanding of how the health system works, as if it is just about beds and not part of a broader system and the support services that make those hospitals tick.
Similarly, radiation oncology is a core part of any cancer service and any part of cancer care, yet for large parts of our city, it is simply out of reach. For patients in the east and north of the metropolitan area, public radiation therapy services are available only at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which, with all due respect to the member for Nedlands, is not generally a place people visit that often, I must confess. It is a bit of a trek. Often people have to come every day when someone is at their worst, when they are fighting cancer, or at least three times a week. Making people come all the way into Nedlands, often for weeks at a time, feeling awful, sitting on public transport, potentially, is not the best way to treat these patients.
Meanwhile, in the south metropolitan region, public patients are able to access radiation therapy through private providers that are contracted to the public system. It is a sensible arrangement, and it works really well. There is no reason, although I am sure I can hear many, that the same approach could not be adopted in the east and north. The private infrastructure is there. The demand is certainly there, and the inequity is glaring. But for some reason the government is fixated on continuing this disparity. I really hope I am wrong and we see something in the budget, but I cannot see it. There is no funding and no commitment to correct this inequity. Patients in Midland, Joondalup and surrounding suburbs such as those in the Perth hills deserve better. They deserve the same access to care that patients in the south already receive.
We must fund public access to private radiation clinics in the east and northern suburbs. We must establish a dedicated public radiation oncology service in one or both regions. We must use the Commonwealth mechanisms, like section 19 exemptions, to remove the cost barriers. This is not a matter of convenience; it is a question of fairness. A cancer diagnosis should not come with an additional postcode penalty.
The budget allocates $10 million for planning ED expansions at Royal Perth Hospital and Midland Health Campus. This is a plan, but we know it is required. Let us remember the promise at Midland of 60 inpatient beds, three new operating theatres and 39 ED bays. That proposal was based on clear evidence of need at the time. The EDs are flooded. People drive past St John of God Midland Public Hospital to drive to other emergency departments because they can see how much of a wait that is going to be required for them or for their loved ones just to see a doctor. It is not fit for purpose. It needs addressing now, and planning funds are simply not enough.
But this budget provides no capital works funding for these emergency departments, that I can see—only funding for planning. There are no timelines, no certainty, no build. Meanwhile, EDs across Perth are completely overwhelmed. Patients wait for hours on trolleys. Ambulance officers and paramedics sit in hospitals nursing patients while they are waiting to get back on the road. Staff are pushed to the brink. A plan without construction is just another delay, just another announcement. Urgency is not shown in media releases; it is shown in funding.
I also want to speak about rheumatic heart disease. It is something that is close to my heart and I have fought for recognition for sufferers and better access to services right across Australia. Rheumatic heart disease, for those who do not know, is a disease of poverty, and it is entirely preventable. It begins with a bacteria called group A streptococcus, and in some people that bacteria can cause sore throats, persistent sores and the like. It is much more likely to occur in situations where children are hot-bedding. For those who do not know what hot-bedding is, it is when one person gets out of bed and somebody else jumps in and uses the bed. Then they get out of the bed and somebody else jumps in there. In those situations, in situations that are not hygienic, people are more likely to get infections from group A streptococcus. What group A streptococcus can do in these impoverished circumstances is cause something called acute rheumatic fever, and when that fever occurs, unfortunately, damage occurs in the valves of the heart. A diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease is often a very, very serious and significant diagnosis—often far worse than cancer. Most Australians may never have heard of rheumatic heart disease because it is nearly non-existent in well-off communities. But in remote WA it is a reality for hundreds of children each year.
Between 2017 and 2021, 1,814 first episodes of acute rheumatic fever were recorded; 728 recurrences, which increases the significance of damage to the valve significantly; and 44% of these children were aged between five and 14 years. In some remote Aboriginal communities, rheumatic heart disease rates are as high as 2,000 occurrences per 100,000 people in the community. Hospitalisations for those with rheumatic heart disease are 6.2 times higher for First Nations people and in remote areas 8.5 times higher.
What this means to patients suffering from rheumatic heart disease is that if they have a significant defect in the valve because of acute rheumatic fever, they will likely require surgery. That can mean open-heart surgery for a child, a teenager or someone in their early 20s. Whether the surgery is for a mechanical or a bioprosthetic valve, it can be life altering. It can mean that that person may not be able to have children. It can mean that that person may not be able to play contact sports. For many in our community, those are incredibly important and significant life decisions to be made. Often these people are being forced to make these really important decisions.
The budget includes no dedicated funding for rheumatic heart disease prevention, no investment in the WA Rheumatic Heart Disease Register and no support for proven housing and hygiene programs in our community—nothing.
Debate interrupted, pursuant to standing orders.
(Continued at a later stage of the sitting.)
