WEBVTT - State Treasurer Rita Saffioti hands down first budget since Labor re-election

0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:04.800
<v Speaker 1>State budget time. The surplus looks strong two point four

0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:08.320
<v Speaker 1>billion dollars. But those electricity credits you've gotten used to,

0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:11.960
<v Speaker 1>they're gone. Rita Safiotti is the state's treasurer and she

0:00:12.039 --> 0:00:14.520
<v Speaker 1>joins us live on six PR today from State Parliament.

0:00:14.560 --> 0:00:17.439
<v Speaker 2>Good afternoon, afternoon, Olie, how are you?

0:00:17.640 --> 0:00:19.840
<v Speaker 1>I'm very well. How would you describe your budget?

0:00:21.079 --> 0:00:24.280
<v Speaker 2>Well, it's a budget about jobs, about trying to protect

0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:29.960
<v Speaker 2>Wa from this significant global chaos that is unfolding before us.

0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:33.120
<v Speaker 2>So it's very much about trying to fortify protect our

0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:37.159
<v Speaker 2>state from the economic instability so we can continue to

0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:40.720
<v Speaker 2>grow jobs and support Western Australians to get good, full

0:00:40.760 --> 0:00:42.160
<v Speaker 2>time jobs in Wa.

0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:45.239
<v Speaker 1>Is there enough focus on cost of living treasure of

0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:47.760
<v Speaker 1>those electricity credits we all got used to, they're not

0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:48.839
<v Speaker 1>going to exist anymore.

0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:52.519
<v Speaker 2>Well, in total, we're investing nine hundred and sixty three

0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:56.040
<v Speaker 2>million in cost of living measures. It includes, for example,

0:00:56.080 --> 0:00:59.720
<v Speaker 2>the rebates and no interest loans for the residential battery rebates.

0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:03.480
<v Speaker 2>Of course we're still rolling out even into the first

0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:07.720
<v Speaker 2>into July next year, the WA student assistance payments, where

0:01:07.720 --> 0:01:11.440
<v Speaker 2>we're seeing families being able to recover hundreds of dollars

0:01:11.520 --> 0:01:15.480
<v Speaker 2>in some cases six or seven hundred dollars for per family.

0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:19.400
<v Speaker 2>We've also got the one zone Platfair, we're delivering and

0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:23.919
<v Speaker 2>passing on the Commonwealth Energy Bill relief. Plus we're also

0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:28.000
<v Speaker 2>got a number of targeted measures, including things like supporting kids,

0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:33.280
<v Speaker 2>sport vouchers for families. We're harving trans WA fares, so

0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:36.920
<v Speaker 2>there's a whole range of initiatives across regional WA and

0:01:37.000 --> 0:01:41.040
<v Speaker 2>also metropolitan Politan area. So we are still providing a

0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:46.360
<v Speaker 2>significant cost of relief package, cost of living package, but

0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.040
<v Speaker 2>we're also making sure that things like the student assistance

0:01:49.120 --> 0:01:51.440
<v Speaker 2>payments get rolled out over the next month.

0:01:51.920 --> 0:01:54.240
<v Speaker 1>Utilities, what are we going to be paying more for

0:01:54.280 --> 0:01:54.840
<v Speaker 1>our power?

0:01:56.240 --> 0:01:58.840
<v Speaker 2>There'll be a two point five percent increase, which is

0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:01.880
<v Speaker 2>less than the CPI two point seventy five and that's

0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:04.280
<v Speaker 2>what are we committed to at the time of the election.

0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:09.400
<v Speaker 1>Similarly for water, for licensing, for those public transport fairs, well.

0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:12.359
<v Speaker 2>Public transport fares, again it depends on where you live.

0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.440
<v Speaker 2>We're reducing the two we're bringing in a one's own

0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:20.760
<v Speaker 2>fair cap, so that means if you live anywhere outside

0:02:20.800 --> 0:02:24.000
<v Speaker 2>that one's own fair fair range, you'll be getting savings.

0:02:24.040 --> 0:02:27.680
<v Speaker 2>And that's for some regional towns and also Metropolitan Perth.

0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:32.120
<v Speaker 2>And of course we're reinter well. We're now committing to

0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:35.400
<v Speaker 2>pre public transport for kids to make sure we can

0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:38.679
<v Speaker 2>continue that and roll that out over this year and

0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.120
<v Speaker 2>next year. So these are some of the new initiatives

0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:44.200
<v Speaker 2>that were announced today, and that's pre public transport for

0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:47.280
<v Speaker 2>kids going to school and that is saving families one

0:02:47.320 --> 0:02:48.280
<v Speaker 2>hundreds of dollars a year.

0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:52.799
<v Speaker 1>Is there extra money being allocated towards health and education

0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:55.080
<v Speaker 1>in this year's budget, treasurer.

0:02:55.400 --> 0:02:58.000
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, so we've got one point eight billion extra in

0:02:58.160 --> 0:03:01.320
<v Speaker 2>education and training, and if it's particular, seven hundred million

0:03:01.400 --> 0:03:05.320
<v Speaker 2>dollars for extra spending in our schools and that includes

0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:08.880
<v Speaker 2>three hundred and ninety five million dollars to support students

0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:13.120
<v Speaker 2>with disability in our schools and extra education assistance. So

0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:17.480
<v Speaker 2>that's been a big ticket item. And also education infrastructure,

0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:21.520
<v Speaker 2>so we're spending a significant amount, the biggest spend on

0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:27.880
<v Speaker 2>education infrastructure since Kevin Rudd's building the education revolution. Now

0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:30.960
<v Speaker 2>the other on health, we've got significant spending. Of course

0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:34.160
<v Speaker 2>we've got the Women's and Babies Hospital, but in particular

0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:37.400
<v Speaker 2>we continue to roll out the new hospital in Gerlton

0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:40.800
<v Speaker 2>very much targeting making sure we can continue to deliver

0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:44.680
<v Speaker 2>the new hospital upgrades in both Bumbery and Peel and

0:03:45.000 --> 0:03:48.120
<v Speaker 2>throughout the state. We're increasing pats and that support for

0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:52.480
<v Speaker 2>regional people need needing to travel to attend their health services.

0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:55.160
<v Speaker 2>We're also increasing the amount of.

0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:58.840
<v Speaker 3>Funding into our hospitals over eight hundred million and continuing

0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:03.440
<v Speaker 3>to roll out other initiatives to support our hospitals, things like,

0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:08.240
<v Speaker 3>for example, more beds to support transitional care people moving

0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:11.800
<v Speaker 3>out of the hospital setting to the aged care setting, and.

0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:16.360
<v Speaker 2>Also supporting other reforms to try and support the emergency

0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:21.080
<v Speaker 2>departments and then include using technology but also creating some

0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:24.440
<v Speaker 2>care hubs for older Western Australians too to try and

0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:26.320
<v Speaker 2>keep them out of hospitals where we can.

0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.359
<v Speaker 1>I know a number of announcements have been made over

0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:31.279
<v Speaker 1>the last week about the congestion busting projects in both

0:04:31.279 --> 0:04:33.800
<v Speaker 1>the Northern and the Southern suburbs or of housing announcements.

0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:35.960
<v Speaker 1>So there's a lot of work obviously going on. A

0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:40.839
<v Speaker 1>lot of money is being channeled into public infrastructure projects.

0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:44.159
<v Speaker 1>Have we got the workers able to complete this work

0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:46.719
<v Speaker 1>while we still are trying to balance that mix and

0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:49.520
<v Speaker 1>fix the housing crisis one.

0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:51.760
<v Speaker 2>Of the good the one of the good initiatives or

0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.159
<v Speaker 2>some of the good initiatives in today's budget continue to

0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:57.840
<v Speaker 2>be how we support Western Australians get access to feed

0:04:57.920 --> 0:05:01.520
<v Speaker 2>pre taped. So we've seen tens of thousands of Western

0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:05.760
<v Speaker 2>Australians getting access to free taste and that means more

0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.960
<v Speaker 2>Western Australians training, and we're extending some of that fee

0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:15.320
<v Speaker 2>free tape to the construction trades plasterers, carpenter's, bricklayers. Another

0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:18.240
<v Speaker 2>initiative where I worked with the private sector with the

0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:23.320
<v Speaker 2>training organizations is to actually pay the wage of the

0:05:23.360 --> 0:05:26.920
<v Speaker 2>apprentices and so we're seen over one thousand new apprentices

0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:31.520
<v Speaker 2>under this g It's called a Group Training Organization wage

0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:35.520
<v Speaker 2>subsidy program and we've seen as significant boost in our

0:05:35.600 --> 0:05:39.600
<v Speaker 2>construction workforce. Will continue to work on this in particular,

0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:42.400
<v Speaker 2>and that's why we're continuing to pour more money into

0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.960
<v Speaker 2>our tape system. We've also got the Builder Life Package

0:05:46.000 --> 0:05:49.000
<v Speaker 2>which is supporting some Eastern state trades come to WA.

0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:52.839
<v Speaker 2>That's working too, and will continue to try and improve

0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:56.360
<v Speaker 2>our training effort to get as many young Western Australians

0:05:56.400 --> 0:05:58.600
<v Speaker 2>involved in trades as possible.

0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:02.560
<v Speaker 1>Two more from me I know your time is limited today,

0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:06.440
<v Speaker 1>but any commitments on those major projects like Westport or

0:06:06.480 --> 0:06:08.440
<v Speaker 1>the Perth Entertainment and Sporting precincts.

0:06:09.440 --> 0:06:12.680
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, we've got money dedicated to those projects, in

0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:17.599
<v Speaker 2>particular in relation to Westport. For example, the freeway widening

0:06:17.640 --> 0:06:22.120
<v Speaker 2>program along Kanana Freeway well support Westport, but we're also

0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:26.000
<v Speaker 2>putting further funding into planning and also support for some

0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:29.960
<v Speaker 2>environmental outcomes in that area. And we can continue to

0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:35.800
<v Speaker 2>acquire land in the entire Westport area to support the

0:06:35.839 --> 0:06:38.760
<v Speaker 2>Western Trade Coast and some of the new businesses that

0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:41.880
<v Speaker 2>will be operating in that area. And in relation to

0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:44.279
<v Speaker 2>the pres Entertainment Precinct yet, we've got funding for that

0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:46.240
<v Speaker 2>to deliver that project as well.

0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:49.479
<v Speaker 1>Just go back to some of your earlier comments on

0:06:50.040 --> 0:06:52.839
<v Speaker 1>I'm paraphrasing here, but the turbulent times of the world economy,

0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:56.120
<v Speaker 1>what are you forecasting or what is Treasury forecasting for

0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:59.240
<v Speaker 1>economic growth? And how's that eye on all price is

0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:01.520
<v Speaker 1>going to stack over the next year or so?

0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:05.840
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Well, the iron ore price we have always budgeted conservatively,

0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:08.960
<v Speaker 2>which you know, will I think be very very good

0:07:08.960 --> 0:07:12.440
<v Speaker 2>for our state because what we're seeing is these commodity

0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:16.440
<v Speaker 2>prices bouncing around as a result of what's happening in

0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:19.440
<v Speaker 2>the world. So we continue to budget conservatively on the

0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:21.960
<v Speaker 2>iron ore price, noting and that I think today the

0:07:22.000 --> 0:07:25.400
<v Speaker 2>iron ore price is just over ninety dollars, and you

0:07:25.440 --> 0:07:28.520
<v Speaker 2>know it was peaking at one hundred and forty about

0:07:28.560 --> 0:07:32.560
<v Speaker 2>a year ago. In relation to our economy, like I said,

0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:37.000
<v Speaker 2>there's significant economic headwinds, and that's why this budget's about

0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:41.160
<v Speaker 2>investing in things like making more things here, more manufacturing

0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:45.280
<v Speaker 2>in wa and also trying to attract new projects. Our

0:07:45.320 --> 0:07:49.240
<v Speaker 2>forecasts are very very strong still in relation to economic growth.

0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:52.960
<v Speaker 2>We expect our state economy to grow between two point

0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.360
<v Speaker 2>five and three percent over the next two or three years.

0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:59.400
<v Speaker 2>But that's why we've invested. We're investing so much into

0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:03.000
<v Speaker 2>trying to attract as much private sector investment in the

0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:07.160
<v Speaker 2>state to continue to drive new jobs. And we've got

0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:12.760
<v Speaker 2>a big program thirteen billion dollars in energy and water

0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:17.160
<v Speaker 2>infrastructure to roll that out support new jobs and new investment,

0:08:17.440 --> 0:08:20.360
<v Speaker 2>because we need to do that given what's happening around

0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:24.120
<v Speaker 2>the world. We need to basically reinforce in a sense

0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:26.840
<v Speaker 2>portress WI. We need to keep working to make sure

0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:31.640
<v Speaker 2>we can protect ourselves from some of these terrible global

0:08:31.680 --> 0:08:33.680
<v Speaker 2>issues that are impacting everybody.

0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:36.840
<v Speaker 1>And what about those other envious treasures in other states

0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:38.959
<v Speaker 1>in Australia. We'll be looking at your books today and

0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:42.120
<v Speaker 1>maybe they'll start to yell across a nuther more, refire

0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:43.480
<v Speaker 1>that TST again.

0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:46.680
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. No, they have been yelling already a bit, and

0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:49.280
<v Speaker 2>we've got some big commentators over there who keep yelling

0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:52.640
<v Speaker 2>at us. But look, if we didn't have this GST deal,

0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:57.880
<v Speaker 2>we couldn't invest in the economic infrastructure that supports new projects.

0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:00.680
<v Speaker 2>And this other figure which we use to and which

0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:03.640
<v Speaker 2>is in the budget is that Wa as a state

0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:07.640
<v Speaker 2>receives thirty nine billion dollars less than we pay to

0:09:07.760 --> 0:09:11.040
<v Speaker 2>Canbra and that means all these companies in Wa who

0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:13.840
<v Speaker 2>are working hard, a lot of those profits go over

0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.920
<v Speaker 2>to Canberra. Now, if we didn't have the finances to

0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:20.959
<v Speaker 2>build these new projects, to get these new projects underway,

0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:23.720
<v Speaker 2>that would be a negative impact not only to Wa

0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:29.000
<v Speaker 2>but Australia. So we say supporting Wa supports national economic

0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:32.920
<v Speaker 2>growth and the national finances and will continue to prosecute

0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:37.720
<v Speaker 2>that case against all other Eastern state commentators who try

0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:40.559
<v Speaker 2>and tear away our GST deal treasures.

0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:42.520
<v Speaker 1>Thanksy time, thank you,