The McGowan Labor Government is delivering on its plan to keep the Kimberley strong, with the State Budget investing billions to create quality local jobs, fund a pipeline of infrastructure works and deliver key services like health and education.
The 2021-22 State Budget delivers a strong surplus which enables the McGowan Government to deliver major investments for all Western Australians - including infrastructure, hospital and mental health services, social housing and climate action initiatives.
The Budget includes a record $9.1 billion investment in regional infrastructure and $4.2 billion through Royalties for Regions, including $627 million in regional election commitments and other new regional initiatives.
It includes ongoing support for vital services across regional WA, including $463 million for regional school bus services, and $2 billion to subsidise regional electricity and water costs to keep charges in line with what metropolitan users pay.
Regional WA will benefit from a share of the $374 million State-wide investment in Aboriginal well-being.
Delivering the Plan for the Kimberley, the McGowan Government has allocated further support for jobs, TAFE, health, schools, regional roads, tourism and community facilities.
The 2021-22 State Budget will continue efforts to revitalise WA's TAFE and training sector, with a $198 million investment per annum in regional WA over the next four years, including:
- Continuing upgrades at North Regional TAFE, including $11.6 million for a hospitality and student services centre at Broome TAFE and $6 million for a health and hospitality training centre at the Kununurra TAFE campus;
- Continuing the Lower fees, local skills program, which has seen an increase of 40 per cent in enrolments in the Kimberley in 2021;
- $25 million to WA TAFEs for new state-of-the-art equipment;
- $29.8 million to provide 8,000 additional VET places in schools across WA, on top of an additional 1350 VET places introduced in 2021;
- $19.2 million VET career taster program for Year 9 students; and
- $37 million towards the Employer Incentive Scheme in regional WA.
The McGowan Government will continue to focus on delivering high-quality healthcare for all Western Australians, regardless of where they live, including:
- $1.9 billion investment in health and mental health to improve services throughout WA, including more doctors and nurses in the regions;
- $2.8 million over four years to establish women's community health services in the Kimberley, including services for women's mental health, family, domestic and sexual violence;
- $19.7 million for the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS), increasing the accommodation subsidy to $100 per night, and increasing escort eligibility for people from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including women travelling to give birth;
- The Kimberley will share in $17.6 million towards social and emotional mental health wellbeing services for Aboriginal people in regional WA;
- Broome's Acute Psychiatric Unit will share in $1.7 million for upgrades;
- $10.9 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to upgrade aircraft engines; and
- $9.2 million to extend Strong Spirit Strong Mind.
The McGowan Government will continue its strong investment in job-creating projects to drive economic development and tourism, including:
- $36.3 million towards the construction of a new Broome Boating Facility;
- $4.5 million to provide facilities and upgrade roads to meet visitor demand and environmental management in Yawuru conservation parks;
- $1.75 million for a new, safer boat docking station for visitors of the Danggu Geike Gorge boat cruise;
- $850,000 for the development of the first long distance trek in the Kimberley, the Kimberley Wilderness Walk in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges;
- $400,000 for the preparation of a visitor plan for the Dampier Peninsula and Buccaneer Archipelago;
- $4.4 million Northern Native Seed Development initiative;
- $15.1 million to strengthen WA's biosecurity capabilities;
- $19.8 million across the State to make air travel for regional residents more affordable;
- $100 million Investment Attraction and New Industries Fund;
- $120 million for more than 150 frontline officers to speed up project approvals;
- $12.1 million to implement the regional component of the Jina: Western Australian Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2021-25;
- $45 million to expand the Aboriginal Rangers Program;
- Continuing the successful $40 million Regional Economic Development grants program, which since 2018 has invested over $2.2 million in 26 projects in the Kimberley, helping to create over 156 local jobs; and
- $12.9 million boost to regional arts programs.
The State Budget also includes important investment in quality education for young people in the regions, including:
- $1.5 billion will be spent each year to provide regional students with a quality education, in addition to $427.5 million over the next four years for refurbishments, upgrades and new builds for regional primary and secondary schools;
- $4.4 million for canteen and STEM upgrades at Broome Senior High School;
- $10 million for new classroom blocks and a new food and textiles classroom at Halls Creek District High School;
- $3.7 million towards the solar schools initiative that includes installing solar panels on 18 schools across the Kimberley;
- Science classrooms or resourcing grants at Derby District High School, East Kimberley College, Fitzroy Valley District High School, Halls Creek District High School, Cable Beach Primary School, Broome Primary School, La Grange Remote Community School and Wyndham District High School;
- Investment in science resources for Kimberley School of the Air and some of the region's Remote Community Schools;
- $38.5 million to expand Alternative Learning Settings programs, designed to affect positive and lasting change in behaviours for students who have been excluded from school; and
- $1 million over five years to extend the award-winning Better Beginnings program, including to the Kimberley.
After delivering record investment in regional roads over the past four years, the McGowan Government will oversee another significant investment into regional roads, including:
- $4.5 billion for major road projects and programs throughout regional WA;
- $98 million for upgrades to Great Northern Highway at Ord River in the Kimberley;
- $780,000 to extend the left turning lane on Frederick Street, Broome, modifying the carpark, installing signs, bollards and pavement markings;
- $265,000 to modify and formalise parking for cars and buses at St Joseph's School, and works to improve drainage, upgrade pedestrian facilities, install signs and pavement markings on St Peters Way in Wyndham;
- $255,000 to improve intersection visibility at the intersection of Weaber Plain Road and Mulligans Lagoon Road in Kununurra, widening the intersection, installing signs and improving delineation; and
- Over $39 million for the Regional Road Safety Program to invest in repairing, rebuilding and road safety treatments on more than 2,600 kilometres of Kimberley roads.
The 2021-22 State Budget also includes significant investment to help keep Western Australians active, healthy and connected with their communities, including:
- $4 million for upgrades to the covered multi-use courts at Fitzroy Crossing;
- $6 million contribution to the Kununurra Leisure Centre Redevelopment;
- $3.5 million for the Halls Creek Town Development, enhancing the urban environment with a splash park, pedestrian crossing points, community parkland spaces, street furniture, local art, trees, and shade structures;
- $300,000 for new change rooms at Mowanjum Community;
- $2.35 million for upgrades to basketball courts, multi-sport field and lighting at Warmun Community;
- $10 million to the State-wide Club Night Lights program for floodlighting at community facilities.
$20 million will also be spent providing Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation in Kununurra.
The State Budget includes $17 million to continue the delivery of regional youth justice services in the Pilbara and Kimberley, in addition to $5.6 million to establish an Aboriginal-led Specialist Family Violence Court in Broome.
$14 million will continue the Aboriginal Community Connectors program, including in Broome, Derby, Kununurra, Wyndham and Halls Creek.
An additional $1.5 million has been allocated to provide diversionary options in pre-sentence orders, culturally appropriate drug and alcohol services and on-country mentoring programs for young people - as part of the Olabud Doogethu Halls Creek Justice Reinvestment Project.
For more information, visit https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"My Government's responsible financial management is enabling us to invest in the regions and keep the Kimberley strong - creating local jobs, building a pipeline of infrastructure works and supporting vital services like health and education.
"We're funding our Plan for Kimberley to keep the regional economy growing, while delivering on our election commitments for the local community.
"Our WA Jobs Plan preferences Western Australians for local jobs first, as we work to diversify the regional economy in the Kimberley, attract investment and build a skilled workforce for the future.
"The 2021-22 State Budget is working to deliver a strong and vibrant region, with quality local services that give people every reason to live, work and raise a family in the Kimberley."
As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"Our Government is continuing to build strong and resilient regional communities, working to diversify our regional economies and create local jobs.
"We are delivering on our election commitments, and helping our regions to embrace future opportunities and 21st century industries."
