- 2025-26 State Budget delivers on Cook Labor Government's vision for regional WA
- More than $10 billion invested in the regions
- Significant investments in health, community safety, education and housing
- More than $4 billion delivered through Royalties for Regions Program
- Ensuring people living in regional Western Australia have access to the infrastructure and services they need
The Cook Labor Government is delivering its vision for the Mid West, with the 2025-26 State Budget providing significant investments in health infrastructure, mental health services, community safety, housing and community services.
Billions of dollars will be delivered to the regions, supporting the Cook Government's commitment to Western Australians, that no matter if they live in our suburbs, regional centres, towns, or remote communities, they will have local job opportunities, and access to major services and infrastructure.
The Budget will help keep costs down for Mid West families with billions of dollars in rebates and concessions, and household fees and charges being kept affordable with below inflation increases for a sixth consecutive year.
More than $4 billion in Royalties for Regions funding will also go towards projects which enhance regional communities, ensuring they remain exceptional places to live, work and raise a family.
Western Australians in the Mid West will benefit from the Cook Government's $121 million investment in regional health and mental health infrastructure and services. This includes:
- $12.2million to implement a Virtual Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Hub, which will provide virtual mental health treatment and support services for children and their families;
- $8.2 million to establish GP ASK to connect WA GPs to dedicated and experienced specialists without the need for patients to travel to a hospital;
- $1.6 million to commence commissioning work for the Geraldton Health Campus redevelopment;
- $1 million planning funding towards a Geraldton Radiation Oncology service;
- $1million to upgrade air conditioning at the Kalbarri Health Centre; and
- $1million project planning funding for delivery of an 8-bed Karratha Renal Dialysis Facility, a new hostel and expansion of Geraldton Renal Dialysis Unit.
The 2025-26 State Budget delivers cost of living support with rebates and concessions for people across regional WA, including:
- $3.5billion over the next fouryears to keep regional water and power prices in line with metropolitan prices;
- $337 million towards the WA Residential Battery Scheme, providing Synergy customers with up to $5,000 and Horizon Power customers with up to $7,500 towards the cost of a household battery together with the Federal Government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program, plus households with incomes of less than $210,000 per annum can access no-interest loans of up to $10,000;
- $25.7million to increase the Regional Pensioner Travel Card by a further $100;
- Halving the costs of Transwa rail and coach fares from 1January2026;
- Increasing the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme fuel subsidy from $0.26perkilometre to $0.40perkilometre at a cost of $18.5million;
- $8million for the Country Week Assistance Program to support regional students participating in Country Week events; and
- $250 for every secondary student and $150 for every primary and kindergarten student, through the second round of the Western Australian Student Assistance Payment.
The Cook Government's Budget will deliver a $1.4 billion investment to support housing and homelessness measures. Key regional housing initiatives include:
- $103.8 million in funding to deliver more Government Regional Officer Housing homes for essential government workers in the regions;
- $25 million for the Regional Housing Support Fund that will provide grants of up to $5 million to support new housing and land supply across regional WA, assisting with a wide range of costs, with local government projects and regional subdivisions eligible; and
- $13.7 million for regional staff accommodation costs to attract and retain staff in regional areas.
The Cook Government has committed $219.7 million to boost regional education infrastructure, as well as a range of measures to support families across regional Western Australia, including for early education and outside of school hours care. Key initiatives include:
- $28 million to expand the School Breakfast Program to provide free breakfasts five days a week at more than 650 schools, including in the Mid West;
- $30.3 million for the School of Isolated and Distance Education to support more students learning in regional WesternAustralia;
- $29 million to trial nation-leading free full-time, school-based kindy, which includes $2.3 million for minor infrastructure upgrades to five regional pilot sites;
- $10million for additional transportable classrooms in regional schools;
- $8.6million to facilitate a range of infrastructure works in the regions as part of the New Schools and Maintenance Vision; and
- more than $4million as part of the government's small commitments to support minor works and noninfrastructure projects at more than 70 public and nongovernment schools.
About $277 million in funding will be invested to deliver Vocational Education and Training, career and employment advice, and TAFE support services across regional WesternAustralia, with further asset investment of $65 million towards regional TAFE projects. This includes:
- $11.6million for another round of the TAFE Modern Equipment program to enhance facilities and infrastructure assets in the regions;
- $8.6million to deliver fee-free TAFE-housing and construction courses, upskilling the local workforce to build regional houses; and
- $2.4million through the Adult Apprentice Incentive Scheme to cover the wage gap for employers engaging apprentices aged 21 years and over.
The 2025-26 State Budget will continue to build safe and strong regional communities with key initiatives, such as:
- more than $480million perannum for services provided by the WesternAustralia Police Force's regional districts, including 123police stations and around 1,900police officers and staff;
- $390million perannum on court and tribunal administration in the regions, community corrections, and the operation of the State's eight regional prisons (and workcamps);
- $14.3million to redevelop a WesternAustralia Police Academy accommodation block, which will be used to provide free accommodation to regional recruits to encourage people living in regional areas to become police officers;
- $5million for contracted security services and minor upgrades at regional courts;
- $3.5 million for expansion of the Community Emergency Services Manager program;
- $3.1 million towards a new State Bushfire Mitigation Branch, including 12 additional staff;
- $3 million to continue an uplift in baseline funding to financial counselling services across the State, including the Geraldton Financial Counselling Service;
- $2.3 million for additional CCTV across the State to help combat anti-social behaviour including additional cameras in Geraldton;
- $1 million to Police and Community Youth Centres to deliver youth diversion programs in Geraldton; and
- $250,000 towards the Kalbarri Evacuation Centre.
Regional roads and transport infrastructure continue to be upgraded, with investment in key projects and programs across the regions including:
- $250million over five years to expand the Regional Road Safety Program to local roads across the State;
- $8.5 million towards stage one of the signalised pedestrian crossings program, including on Brand Highway in Tarcoola Beach to cater for students at Wandina Primary School;
- $8.3 million to progress planning and negotiations to bring the Freight Rail Network back into Government hands; and
- $3.5 million to progress detailed design for Berth 8 and 9 at the Port of Geraldton, providing capacity to support renewable energy projects such as wind turbine blades.
The Cook Government is focused on diversifying regional economies, delivering more jobs and powering WA on clean energy. This includes investments of:
- $500million increase to the Strategic Industries Fund (to $1billion), which will support activating Strategic Industrial Areas across the State, including in the Pilbara, SouthWest and MidWest;
- $20 million to expand the Aboriginal Ranger Program;
- $8.9 million funding boost to the Exploration Incentive Scheme to encourage mining exploration and support jobs in regional WA; and
- $6.7million for the Grain Harvest Program and aerial fire response capability including the establishment of two strike teams.
A commitment of $33.3 million to support family and domestic violence victim-survivors has been included in the budget, including:
- $11.5 million to deliver the Safe at Home program to seven additional locations, including several in regional Western Australia; and
- $1.4 million to support planning and business case development for the expansion of Albany and Geraldton refuge capacity, and further expansions of five locations across the State.
The State Budget will also support local industry, sport and recreation across regional WA. Some of the projects and initiatives include:
- $25.2million to establish a Regional Racing Fund for fund key infrastructure upgrades at up to 24 racing, harness, turf and trotting clubs, including $1.9 million for the Geraldton Turf Club, and $92,000 for the Dongara Irwin Race Club;
- $4 million to establish the Veterans Facilities fund to help RSL and veterans organisations upgrade their local facilities and RSL clubs;
- $3million as part of the Women's Sport Boost, to encourage participation of women and girls in sport, to upgrade GBSC Sports Park with new unisex changerooms;
- $2.8million to the Geraldton Netball Association for upgrades to its Wonthella facility;
- $1.3 million for medical facilities at all Karting WA clubs, including Midwest Kart Club in Geraldton; and
- $450,000 to support the Backroads Gravel Festival cycling event in the Mid West for the next three years.
The Cook Government's 2025-26 State Budget delivers another strong surplus for Western Australia, and with debt levels remaining affordable, puts WA in the best position to invest in what matters for all Western Australians.
For more information, visit https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au
As stated by Mid West Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"Our State Budget delivers on our commitment to do what's right for the Mid West by investing in the infrastructure and services that matter to the community - from health and housing to education and community services.
"We're continuing to provide important cost of living support to Mid-West families, with targeted measures as well as specific initiatives that benefit regional Western Australians such as boosts to the Regional Pensioner Travel Card and the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme.
"Funding for Kalbarri Health Centre, and an oncology service and an expanded renal dialysis unit in Geraldton, build on our government's track record of regional health investment with significant projects like the Geraldton Health Campus redevelopment and Mullewa Community Hospital upgrade."
As stated by Sandra Carr MLC:
"The Cook Government's vision for the Mid West is to ensure the region remains a great place to live and work, and our investments through this Budget will do just that.
"This Budget sets the Mid West up for the future with important infrastructure investment at local schools and hospitals, funding for road and community safety initiatives, and increased access to services, while supporting Mid West families with the cost of living."
