2024 State Budget – Response

17 May 2024

Business as usual Band Aid Budget

Thursday, 9 May 2024

The 2024 State Budget is largely performative and invests more in feel-good talking points than in supporting Western Australians who are doing it tough in a housing and cost-of-living crisis.

Quotes attributable to WA Greens MLC Dr Brad Pettitt:

“This is a band aid, business as usual budget that invests more in feel-good talking points than in addressing the housing and cost of living crisis.

“We know the scale of the housing and renting crisis; where is the commitment to meeting that need?

“There are 20,000 applications on the public waitlist representing more than 35,000 people and housing them all should be the primary goal of this government’s housing policy; just 350 homes built and another 350 spot-purchased won’t cut it.

“Tax investors who are profiting off their second, third or fourth house as an AirBnB – or simply leaving it empty – and use the revenue to invest in more public and social housing.

“The National Rental Affordability Scheme is winding down over the next couple of years; WA should commit to making up the difference and expanding it so that people who are currently living in subsidised housing don’t have too.

“While we welcome temporary relief for electricity bills, where is temporary relief for the 700,000 Western Australian renters in the form of a rent freeze? An opportunity that was missed in the recent Residential Tenancies Act debate.

“There are some welcome funding announcements, including $92 million for homelessness services and more funding for Family and Domestic Violence Services – these are desperately needed.

“The other big piece of the puzzle that’s missing is climate action and a commitment to end our state’s reliance on coal and, especially, gas.

“The government has been spending big on advertisements spruiking its climate action plan across a range of platforms but, once again, there is very little in this budget that shows commitment to the scale of the problem.

“$500 million for green hydrogen and critical minerals processing is not a climate solution but another stalling tactic, just like carbon capture and storage.

“We need urgent, massive investment in renewable energy before 2030 if we are to have any chance of limiting global heating to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“Finally, it is disappointing to see $36 million for regulatory reform and ‘green tape reduction’ which we know is just spin for further gutting of our EPA.

“Our unique and precious environment is struggling through drought and scientists are warning of potential ecological collapse. With huge projects like the Burrup Hub that are incompatible with a safe environment and a safe future about to come online, it’s clear our environment needs stronger protection not less.

“In a triple housing, cost of living and climate crisis we should be reinvesting in our future – in housing to meet need, in renewable energy to power our future and in sustainable initiatives to ensure our unique and beautiful state remains liveable for generations to come.”