Cost-of-living relief
Motion
Hon Klara Andric (South Metropolitan Region) (11:50 am) without notice: I move:
That this house commends the Cook Labor government for its commitment to alleviating cost-of-living pressures faced by Western Australians, including the second round of WA student assistance payments.
I rise today to speak on an issue that is very important to not only myself but also many Western Australians across our state. I am sure that many of us from not only this side but also the other side of the chamber, if they listen to their constituents enough, will have heard that one of the biggest issues many of us face is the cost of living. Many people across Western Australia are navigating the daily reality of stretched budgets. From balancing our weekly grocery bills and utility payments to managing school expenses and everyday household commitments, it is a struggle and an issue that many of us and people in our communities face. We are also making choices about which essentials to prioritise.
Recognising these widespread pressures, the Cook government has rolled out a very comprehensive package of targeted supports. These supports range from direct financial assistance for school-age children, students and families to subsidies that open up access to various things such as sport, affordable public transport fares and fee-free vocational training. These measures work to deliver, in many cases, immediate relief. In delivering that relief, they strengthen our communities and assist Western Australians to maintain a decent standard of living.
One of the first areas I will talk about in this motion that I have before the house is the WA student assistance payment. I begin by highlighting the real difference the WA student assistance payment has made for families right across our state. This program was introduced in April 2024 as part of the $103.5 million cost-of-living relief package to ease the pressures on parents and carers who face back-to-back school expenses. I am one of those people, and I am sure that a few more members both on our side and across the chamber understand that raising and educating children can be quite costly, particularly, I would say, when it comes to sudden growth spurts. I recently, last weekend, purchased my child a pair of brand-new sneakers when, all of a sudden, her fairly new sneakers became no longer suitable. I had to trek down to the stores, as many parents do, and it can be costly. Many things today are not cheap. Parents have to fork out; when they have more than one child, they have to multiply that by however many children they have, and the cost certainly increases.
As I was saying, when the first rollout took place, eligible families received $150 for each kindergarten or primary-age student and $250 for each secondary student. For many families—I gave the example earlier of my own family and sneakers for my young Aleksandra—the assistance payment enables parents to cover things like not only sneakers, but also uniforms, textbooks, essential IT devices, excursions and camps. As stated in one of the Department of Education's flyers:
This money is to help you get things for your kids.
I refer to a component of one of the flyers in the Department of Education's packs, which also states that it can include for your child "new school shoes, backpacks, sports gear and food". This, members, is what many of us would call essentials to ensure that our children go to school with all the necessary things that they need.
Beyond the numbers is what those payments have made possible. To be honest, that is what really matters. By turning obstacles into opportunities, we are giving students the chance to start each term with renewed confidence and dignity. As a parent, I think that that is paramount. That is something I always want to see, not only as a parent, but also as a member of Parliament and a member of our community. It is something that always touches my heart. I think that certainly in our state, we have to do everything we can to ensure that our children are looked after and go into their classroom at the beginning of each term with the confidence and dignity that every child in WA rightfully deserves.
These payments have taken some of the weight, I would say, off the shoulders of almost 400,000 families across our state since the rollout of this program began. I was particularly happy to see residents in the South Metropolitan Region take advantage of last year's first round. I am going to mention a few of the areas or suburbs in the South Metropolitan Region. There have been payments of $1.613 million made to Baldivis residents in Sook Yee Lai's electorate, $1.86 million made to Canning Vale residents in Stephen Pratt's electorate of Jandakot and $840,000 made to Willetton residents in Dr Jags Krishnan's electorate.
Members, building on that success, the Cook Labor government has honoured its almost $90 million election pledge. On Monday, the Premier and minister announced a second rollout in term 2 of 2025. Parents and eligible carers were advised that applications opened at the start of the week—as I said, on 26 April—and reminded that applications for the payments will close on Friday 4 July 2025. Between the two rounds, the Cook Labor government will have injected nearly $200 million directly into the pockets of Western Australian families. That money flows straight into our local communities and, most importantly, into the future of our children. In short, the WA assistance payment is not just about dollars and cents—I am pretty sure I have mentioned this in this chamber before, members—it is about giving every single child the chance to walk into a classroom feeling equipped, included and ready to learn. We all know the impact on children when that is not the case, and it is our duty as a government, and as members of Parliament, to ensure that we do everything we can to make sure those children feel ready and equipped to learn and to succeed not only during their school years but also later in life.
On that note members, I do want to take the opportunity to give a shout-out to Fremantle Primary School, which my youngest daughter Aleksandra attends, for sending out an email on Tuesday morning on the Connect system we have there at the school informing all parents about the student assistance payment. I have a copy of the email I received here. Fremantle Primary School very kindly attached all the information and the flyer about the payment to the Connect email so that parents could understand not only what the student assistant payment is—what it entails, what it is for, the amount—but also gave them the information they will need to access the payments, including their child's student number et cetera. As I said, I want to give a shout-out to Fremantle Primary School, my youngest's school, for taking the initiative to send out information to parents. This is a process that not only schools and the Department of Education need to work on and do, but also us as members of Parliament. I will certainly be promoting the uptake of the payment with eligible families within my community and beyond.
Another component of the Cook Labor government's work on cost-of-living initiatives, and something that I really took to, is the Rottnest Island school camp rebate scheme. I think this is a brilliant initiative, and I know that it will have a long-lasting impact on many kids who would not have the opportunity to go on camps or school trips if this rebate scheme did not exist. The Rottnest Island rebate scheme was designed to remove the financial barriers that often keep our students from experiencing the rich outdoors and cultural learning opportunities offered on Wadjemup, which I know many members know is Rottnest Island. Offering this scheme to low socio-economic schools ensures support reaches those who need it most, and that is something I love. It is something that I think is very important in the same way that the student assistance payment ensures that our kids do not feel left out when they walk through the classroom door at the beginning of the year or on the first day of a new term; they feel equipped, ready and excited to learn.
I was so excited and really pleased to hear that under the first rollout in term 3 of 2024, 1,500 students from more than 50 schools statewide enjoyed fully subsidised accommodation, heavily discounted ferry transfers, free bike hire and guided educational tours on Wadjemup. I was delighted to hear that kids from as far away Meekatharra, Leonora and Mount Barker came along and used the opportunity of the scheme, enabling them to visit Rottnest Island for the first time.
Hon Tjorn Sibma (North Metropolitan Region) (12:06 pm): Acting President and colleagues in the chamber, I will make a very brief contribution because I appreciate today's unexpected excitement has potentially derailed the perfectly laid plans for a valedictory address that I am definitely interested in listening to.
I thank Hon Klara Andric for moving this motion. I speak as a member of the opposition, but also as a parent of two primary school-age children. Absolutely, the WA student assistance payment is something that will be welcomed by many families in Western Australia, as I think its first iteration last year was welcomed. I wish to make some overall remarks, though, about the utilisation of subsidies, this subsidy and where we are contextually in terms of inflation and cost of living.
The first thing I will say is that I think this is a meritorious scheme. But if it is something that is as meritorious as the government claims, I think it should have been embedded well before the commencement of the 2025 school year. I know the election got in the way of doing that but, frankly speaking, once people have the book lists and understand the likely uniform costs for the forthcoming year, they start making decisions about those outlays in late November, December and through to January. Effectively, although people will apply for this payment, and I encourage them to apply if, indeed, they are eligible, they would have already spent that money. I think that speaks something of the way that governments of both stripes have dealt with these issues. Yes, I think there is a genuine attempt to alleviate cost-of-living pressures being felt across the community, but there is a desire as well to give with one hand and have the other hand pat the government on the back for a deed well done. If there is merit in this payment, and there is merit in it, I think it needs to be established as part of the ordinary processes of government. The government had the opportunity to do that when it set the parameters of the 2024–25 appropriation bills, which have been passed by this Parliament.
I think it is also reasonable to make the assumption that the difficulty in doing these sorts of measures is that not everybody who equally needs it will be a recipient of it. Which is to say, this is not a means-tested measure. Frankly, yes, costs are expensive. Uniform costs are expensive. My children are always needing new shoes. My son is always losing his $60 or $70 school jacket, which drives both me and his mother very mad, but that is the way things go. Nevertheless, I am probably in a position to wear those costs when others cannot. If government really wants to target cost-of-living pressures, I think it actually needs to make those rebates and those subsidies more specifically targeted to the people who genuinely need that assistance.
This is not the case with this particular subsidy. Overall, although I think we all welcome the news that inflation across Australia is now within the Reserve Bank of Australia's target band, Western Australia is still marginally higher. That is just a fact of life. However, what is potentially artificially elevated inflation across the country, but also in Western Australia, and having an impact on people's capacity to meet increasing costs of living, is the perverse outcome of inflation distorting the economy. In fact, the consumer price index rises because of a lot of money moving through the system to address the cost of living. What does that do? It forces up the cost of everything else. We need to focus, if any specific government is genuinely interested in alleviating costs of living, particularly at a state level, on levers being not as readily available as they are perhaps to a federal government; however, certain things can be done, which is to not distort construction markets by throwing a lot of government capital, beating up the costs of materials and constraining the use of labour. There is a reason that the underlying structural affordability of goods and services throughout this economy is high. It is partly to do—a lot to do, actually—with government budget decisions. It is not me making a partisan point. This is a point that has been made by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia—not specifically only about the Western Australian state government, but about state governments nationwide. With that said, I would encourage those families in Western Australia who could do with this assistance to absolutely take it up. However, I would hope that if we are to have a breakout of bipartisanship on this issue, that when a member of the crossbench or the opposition seeks information as to how they can assist families make use of this, that they have the same recourse through either the Minister for Education or another minister to establish exactly who in their school community, in an aggregated level, has taken advantage of this scheme and who might need to be encouraged. I was a little concerned about the flow of information on the first time. There seemed to be a privileged access of Labor members of the lower house knowing precisely which schools had undersubscribed and which had oversubscribed. I think that actually demeans the genuine intent of this policy and politicises this measure unnecessarily. With that, I will sit down.
Hon Shelley Payne (Agricultural Region) (12:12 pm): It gives me great pleasure to talk on this motion. I thank Hon Klara Andric for bringing it today because the cost of living affects everyone no matter where they live, particularly, I think, more so for people in the regions. I start by commending the government on one of the election commitments that it made, which was the $30 million to expand the school breakfast program. It will help boost this delivery from two to five days a week. During my term of government, I have particularly noticed the issues with getting food into the regions and people's access to grocery stores and things like that. In some of these small towns, a lot of grocery stores are closing. I also shout-out to Foodbank WA and the work it is doing. It has been running the school breakfast program for 15 years now. It works with over 552 schools and reaches over 26,000 students. It really helps the kids get off to a good day's start if they have a good breakfast program. It is great. In the city, people are a bit luckier. They can get the food and also have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, whereas in the regions they get the delivery once per term. It is great; there is canned fruit, wheat biscuits, oats, Vegemite, canned spaghetti and canned baked beans. I would say the one thing that I guess people in the regions are missing out on a bit is fresh fruit and veg and the access to them. I give a shout-out to my research student through the parliamentary research program, whose research on access to fresh fruit and vegetables in the regions looked at some of the constraints on that. As I said, there are some issues in the regions with a lot of the small grocery stores in small towns closing and people only having access, maybe, to roadhouse food. The Cranbrook store 91 kilometres from Albany closed down. People there are relying on a Coles delivery once a week. Tambellup is probably likely to close its store. I commend the community for getting together and purchasing its store and doing it up so that they could attract a buyer for it. Most recently, the Ravensthorpe food store has shut. Well done to the Shire of Ravensthorpe and the community for working together to look at providing options for food in that community. I note that places like Norseman have bought the IGA so they can operate it and even keep it open for the community. The cost of living is a big issue in these regions when buying food at a reasonable price and having access to good, healthy food at a reasonable price.
One of the other things I commend the government for is the capped airfare scheme. It has been amazing for places like Esperance by giving people access to lower-cost fares and connecting them to the city. There was $64.5 million in the last budget, and we made an election commitment for a further $4 million to extend the program until the middle of 2026. More than 420,000 flights have been taken through that program. I remember when I first came to Esperance, we used to drive to the airport if we had to take a plane and park under a tree. Usually, people took a flight because they were going on a holiday somewhere; otherwise it was pretty expensive and they would just be driving. Now, the airport is overflowing and needs a new parking lot. There are now four return flights a day to Esperance with Rex Airlines. It is good to see Rex Airlines back to its old self and generally being a bit more on time than it was during COVID. The capped airfare program is a really great initiative; I think regional members will agree with me on that.
As part of our election commitment we also have half-price regional travel through Transwa, which is half the cost of the bus fares for people to get to Perth. That has been really fantastic. A lot of us know about some of the other initiatives, such as the electricity credits that we provided both individuals and small businesses, which has been really fantastic. That rolled out last year. I am particularly pleased that this also helped small businesses. We have really been doing a lot to support seniors and I am really pleased with a lot of the work that has been done there. I give a shout-out to Hon Kyle McGinn for his work with the seniors discount directory, which motivated me. That was one thing I really wanted to get done for my community, so I am really pleased that I have finished my seniors directory. We posted it out to everyone in Esperance to let them know where they can get their discounts and to connect seniors with the activities and different groups that are relevant to them in the community. Thanks, Kyle, for that great idea; I hope other members will take that up as well for their community.
With the increase in fuel prices, the Regional Pensioner Travel Card has been really great. Not only did we increase it to $675 last year through our budget, but we have made an election commitment to increase it by another $100 to $775. This will start this coming financial year and will really help. We have also made that agreement with United Fuel that allows seniors to get 4c off a litre with their Seniors Card, which is great. Another thing we have done for seniors is the cost-of-living rebate payment, which we have done since 2009. It is now $107 for singles and $160 for couples. It helps them a bit with the cost of living. For those pensioners and seniors who are struggling, there is a concession seat scheme in which they can get concessions on their local government rates, water service charges, emergency services levy and other things up to $750. That is really great as well. Noting that there are other members who want to speak, I think I will leave my comments there. Thanks very much.
Hon Ayor Makur Chuot (North Metropolitan Region) (12:19 pm):President, I rise today to support my colleague Hon Klara Andric on her motion commending the Cook Labor government for its commitment to alleviating the cost-of-living pressures that many Western Australians face, including the fantastic announcement of the second round of WA student assistance payments.
This discussion on the cost of living is very critical and resonates with many people in our households, suburbs and regions in our beautiful state. Let us be honest, while all of us here in this house experience these pressures, they do not affect all of us equally. Vulnerable community groups, including single mothers, pensioners, individuals living with disabilities, young renters and lower income families, bear this burden badly in comparison with some of us here.
Recently, statistics revealed that over 230,000 Western Australians live below the poverty line, with nearly one in every five children in Western Australia growing up in a household that struggles to meet basic needs. Acknowledging these challenges is important as they are a reality in every society. I am proud to be in a government that invests in our wider community—for those in lower socio-economic areas, the middle class and the upper class.
The Cook Labor government's recent election victory is testament to our dedication to understanding and addressing the diverse needs of every Western Australian. Labor is evidently committed to tackling the pressing challenges faced by many of our families, pensioners, workers and small businesses. I want to once again extend my heartfelt gratitude to all Western Australians for making informed choices that prioritise the needs of our communities in these challenging times. Unlike those who criticise without offering solutions, as we heard from members in both houses, we deliver genuine and practical relief while investing in long-term sustainable change.
Today I want to highlight the initiative mentioned by my colleague Hon Klara Andric that resonates deeply with many families in WA—the second WA student assistance payment. I am a mother, an aunty and a sister. I am the mother of three kids. I also look after my three siblings, who live with me, and my niece. As a community leader, I understand firsthand how costly the school year can be. There are expenses associated with books and uniforms—especially when supporting children who play sports.
My son is about to turn 18 years old. I remember when I used to take him to his school soccer games—his shoes would not last more than a month. At the beginning of a new high school term, excursions can add up quickly for many families. These costs can pose hard choices between essentials and excursions for families.
This is why the WA student assistance payment has been very overwhelmingly welcomed by many families. Parents can apply for the WA student assistance payment from Monday. There will be $150 for every kindy and primary student and $250 for every high school student. Many families did not understand the last student assistance payment system. We are here as members to give them that support and I still welcome many of our community members to ask us for guidance. Of course, our government is ready and has already put resources out there to support families on how to navigate the system.
Since its launch last year, the response has been very overwhelmingly positive. I have heard from countless families in my region whose gratitude for this support is heartwarming. Many parents have already inquired about the next assistance payment and when it will be available. I am thrilled to inform them that claims are open now for term 2.
This support means more children are prepared for school, parents experience a reduced financial burden and many families feel seen and valued within our community. No child in Western Australia should struggle to access education or meet basic needs. Our government is committed to ensuring all students have the resources they need for school, regardless of their family's financial situation.
But our support does not stop at the school gate. Let us acknowledge the cheaper childcare reforms implemented by the federal Labor government. They are also supported by this side of government. These reforms, combined with the statewide early childhood initiative, empower families, parents, and especially mothers to read to re-enter our workforce without burden of the unaffordability of early childhood costs.
In addition, something that is so dear to my heart and to leaders on our side and many community members is our government's commitment to backing early childhood educators. Those remarkable individuals play a pivotal role in our children's early learning experiences, often without the recognition and the pay they deserve. Last year, the members of the United Workers Union achieved a historic milestone by entering into negotiation for the early childhood education and care multi-employer agreement.
In May, the federal government backed this movement with a budget commitment of a 15% real pay rise. Thanks to the Fair Work Commission, early educators nationwide will see wage increase of 23%, which I was so excited by. Many of our community members and leaders worked so hard to make this this a possibility.
This landmark decision finally acknowledges what we all know: that early childhood educators have historically been underpaid, with over 90% of them being women. This issue is about fairness and gender equality in our workforce, and what a fantastic time for this achievement. I am proud to support the Big Steps campaign and to be a United Workers Union member supporting the movement. I would like to acknowledge the national director for early education, Carolyn Smith, for her leadership in this historic moment. I also thank and acknowledge everyone who has been involved in this negotiation.
I acknowledge all of this because pay increases mean that it is better for this topic that we are talking about today. Women will be able to put food on the table for their children. The more money they have in their pocket, the more they are able to handle some of the challenges that they are facing in society. I also commend the Cook Labor government and our federal colleagues for staying in the course of prioritising people above all.
I know across the political divide there will always be criticism for any policy, even a basic one to help Western Australians afford their bills, home economics and the cost of living in our society. I once again thank my colleague for bringing this very important motion on the table today. Thank you.
Motion lapsed, pursuant to standing orders.
