00:02WA Labor's 10th budget and third for Rita Safiotti confirmed a few things. WA is still
00:08the engine room of the nation, delivering a $3.5 billion surplus for this current financial year
00:14and a $2.4 billion surplus tipped for next financial year, largely thanks of course to
00:21higher than forecast iron ore prices and GST receipts. Net debt was also slightly down,
00:27forecast to reach $3.4 billion this financial year. This big surplus of course meant a big spend and
00:34health and housing were the big winners. $9.1 billion to be spent over the next four years
00:40on health and for housing $4.7 billion over the next four years, including targeted support for
00:47first home buyers. As for cost of living, there were a few sweeteners in there, including a new
00:52$100 fuel credit for every WA driver that's redeemable from July and the student assistant
00:59payments for families is continuing as well. But that $100 fuel credit won't stretch very far,
01:05given living expenses, power bills are expected to rise. But the government says that families
01:10will still be better off if they combine all of their cost of living measures. The government was
01:15really keen to emphasise though that this budget was delivered during a time of global instability
01:20with the Middle East war. And it says it's taken that into account and is planning for the future.
01:25We believe households need additional support. I'll say it very clearly. We know that West
01:32Australian households have been experiencing some economic shocks in particular over the past six
01:38to eight weeks. Despite the big spend, the opposition said it's not enough, accusing the government of
01:44not delivering on targeted cost of living support for families, as well as those struggling on the
01:50bottom line, saying the government has forgotten about the fundamentals. But the government does say
01:56that this budget was one for every West Australian.
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