- Cook Labor Government delivering on $8 million election commitment to cut costs for regional students attending Country Week events
- New Country Week Assistance Program to provide financial support this year
- $8 million committed as part of 2025-26 State Budget to help regional families facing cost-of-living pressures
The Cook Government will deliver more support for regional students attending Country Week this year, helping to reduce travel and accommodation costs for families facing cost-of-living pressures.
Delivering on a key 2025 election commitment, the Country Week Assistance Program will provide financial support directly to schools based on the distance its students need to travel from Perth. This will mean:
- schools located 300 kilometres or less from Perth will see costs reduced by $250 per student; and
- schools located more than 300 kilometres from Perth will see costs reduced by $500 per student.
As part of the upcoming 2025-26 State Budget, $8 million has been committed over four years to help ensure students can attend Country Week events in Perth.
Country Week enables students from public and non-government schools across Western Australia to come together to compete in a range of sports including AFL, soccer, netball, basketball, badminton, hockey, indoor cricket, touch football, volleyball and dance.
Games take place across Perth in state-of-the-art facilities such as Perth High Performance Centre and the Bendat Basketball Centre.
The Department of Education has a funding agreement with School Sport WA to support the planning and delivery of a range of sporting events and opportunities for students throughout WA.
Schools nominate teams to participate in Country Week events through School Sport WA.
Senior High Schools Country Week runs from 30 June to 4 July, and District High Schools Country Week runs from 22 to 25 September 2025. Nominations for District High Schools Country Week close on 31 May 2025.
Families of students participating in Country Week will be advised of the payment arrangements and eligible amounts by their school.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"The Cook Government is committed to providing more relief to regional Western Australians experiencing cost-of-living pressures.
"By assisting with travel and accommodation costs, we're backing parents and helping ensure all students can be part of Country Week.
"My government will always do what's right by WA families."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"Country Week connects students from across regional Western Australia through healthy competition and shared pride.
"It's a highlight of the school year, giving regional students the opportunity to step into a different environment, represent their school, and form new friendships through playing sport.
"This will deliver important cost-of-living relief to regional families right across the State, relief for regional families, who are receiving this important cost-of-living relief to support their children to attend Country Week events."
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti:
"We want to encourage more young people to get active and participate in sport whether it's at school or in their community, and Country Week is a fantastic event that supports students to do that.
"By cutting costs for families, we're helping to make Country Week more accessible for more students right around WA."
