Latest news with #CookGovernment
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Huge changes to WA public holidays being considered
The Cook Government is proposing making Easter Saturday a public holiday as part of sweeping changes to the State's annual calendar. The Sunday Times can reveal the Government will invite feedback on the Easter Saturday proposal and canvass support for an additional weekday public holiday, in a four-week public consultation period. The changes would mean West Australians get 13 public holidays a calendar year, instead of 11, bringing the State into line with Victoria, the Northern Territory and the ACT. Other options the Government is presenting include permanently moving WA Day from June to November and changing the Labour Day and King's Birthday public holiday dates to align with those in the eastern states. Any changes to public holidays are proposed to come into effect in 2027 or 2028. But Premier Roger Cook promises no changes will be made without public input, announcing an on-line and stakeholder public consultation period, which begins today. 'Western Australia is the engine room of the national economy, and I want to keep it that way,' he said. 'What I've often heard from the business community is that better alignment between WA public holidays and the east coast public holidays would be good for productivity. 'And what I've often heard from members of our broader community is that they'd like to see more public holidays, and a broader spread.' Mr Cook said opening the consultation up to the public showed it was not a decision that would be taken lightly. 'This consultation will not only allow us to better understand what Western Australians want to see happen with public holidays going forward but also gather the information we need to make sure we get the balance right,' he said. WA is the only mainland State that does not observe Easter Saturday as a public holiday. Any changes to our public holiday calendar need to ensure Western Australians get an even spread throughout the year. Daniel Pastorelli WA Day — now marked in June — would be held annually in November, to coincide with the yearly West Test at Optus Stadium. The King's Birthday public holiday, now in late September as part of Royal Show week, would be shifted to June in line with all other States and Territories bar Queensland. And a new public holiday could be created in September. What that new public holiday would be called or what event it commemorates will be up for discussion, with the survey to ask West Australians for their verdict. Meanwhile, though Labour Day in the WA falls in the first week of March, Victoria and Tasmania observe it on the second Monday in March. National holidays such as Anzac Day, Australia Day, Christmas and Boxing Day won't change. The State Government will also invite direct feedback from business and other groups, and the Premier's Parliamentary secretary Daniel Pastorelli will meet directly with other key groups — like the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Hotels Associaiton, unions and the Royal Agricultural Society of WA — to further discuss the potential changes. While many will rejoice in having extra public holidays, business owners who choose to open their doors on holidays will be faced with paying higher rates of pay to workers who agree to work on those days. Surcharges would also be likely be put on items like takeaway and dine in coffees. 'Any changes to our public holiday calendar need to ensure Western Australians get an even spread throughout the year,' Mr Pastorelli said. 'It's also important we get the balance right, so the workers get the break they deserve, and economic activity continues to thrive here in WA.' Feedback is invited until August 8. Have your say here.
West Australian
12-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Cook Government proposing making huge changes to public holidays in WA
The Cook Government is proposing making Easter Saturday a public holiday as part of sweeping changes to the State's annual calendar. The Sunday Times can reveal the Government will invite feedback on the Easter Saturday proposal and canvass support for an additional weekday public holiday, in a four-week public consultation period. The changes would mean West Australians get 13 public holidays a calendar year, instead of 11, bringing the State into line with Victoria, the Northern Territory and the ACT. Other options the Government is presenting include permanently moving WA Day from June to November and changing the Labour Day and King's Birthday public holiday dates to align with those in the eastern states. Any changes to public holidays are proposed to come into effect in 2027 or 2028. But Premier Roger Cook promises no changes will be made without public input, announcing an on-line and stakeholder public consultation period, which begins today. 'Western Australia is the engine room of the national economy, and I want to keep it that way,' he said. 'What I've often heard from the business community is that better alignment between WA public holidays and the east coast public holidays would be good for productivity. 'And what I've often heard from members of our broader community is that they'd like to see more public holidays, and a broader spread.' Mr Cook said opening the consultation up to the public showed it was not a decision that would be taken lightly. 'This consultation will not only allow us to better understand what Western Australians want to see happen with public holidays going forward but also gather the information we need to make sure we get the balance right,' he said. WA is the only mainland State that does not observe Easter Saturday as a public holiday. WA Day — now marked in June — would be held annually in November, to coincide with the yearly West Test at Optus Stadium. The King's Birthday public holiday, now in late September as part of Royal Show week, would be shifted to June in line with all other States and Territories bar Queensland. And a new public holiday could be created in September. What that new public holiday would be called or what event it commemorates will be up for discussion, with the survey to ask West Australians for their verdict. Meanwhile, though Labour Day in the WA falls in the first week of March, Victoria and Tasmania observe it on the second Monday in March. National holidays such as Anzac Day, Australia Day, Christmas and Boxing Day won't change. The State Government will also invite direct feedback from business and other groups, and the Premier's Parliamentary secretary Daniel Pastorelli will meet directly with other key groups — like the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Hotels Associaiton, unions and the Royal Agricultural Society of WA — to further discuss the potential changes. While many will rejoice in having extra public holidays, business owners who choose to open their doors on holidays will be faced with paying higher rates of pay to workers who agree to work on those days. Surcharges would also be likely be put on items like takeaway and dine in coffees. 'Any changes to our public holiday calendar need to ensure Western Australians get an even spread throughout the year,' Mr Pastorelli said. 'It's also important we get the balance right, so the workers get the break they deserve, and economic activity continues to thrive here in WA.' Feedback is invited until August 8 at
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Cost of long-awaited Bussell Highway duplication in WA's South West doubles to $170m
The cost of a long-awaited road upgrade pitched as a congestion-buster for tourists heading to Western Australia's South West has blown out to $170 million as the project finally nears completion. The single-lane stretch of Bussell Highway between Capel and Busselton has long been a traffic bottleneck, particularly during holidays and long weekends when tens of thousands of tourists make the 200-kilometre drive south from Perth. Sold as a solution to those frustrations, duplicating the highway has also come at double the initial projected cost, according to figures revealed during budget estimates hearings last week. The major road project has dragged on despite the Cook government promising its completion by the end of 2024. A Main Roads spokesperson said some short-term traffic management may remain in place, but the majority of work was now complete. However, months of delays and many millions in additional spending have left some locals pondering whether it was worth the cash and time. Capel resident Corrie Young said she was unimpressed with the final product. She regularly uses the road to drive in and out of Busselton. "I'm not very happy with it at all," she said. Ms Young said the last few years had been "terrible" as construction on the road had dragged on, leaving many drivers frustrated over lane closures and speed reductions. Others were more positive. "It's fantastic, I can just zip down from the farm to Busselton. It's flat, it's smooth, it's quick," commuter Steve Jones said. In WA's Legislative Council estimates last week, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti blamed the price escalation on rising construction costs around the world. "I am very proud that we have delivered the Bussell Highway duplication," she said. "It was not an election commitment, but I was very determined to get it done, and we did it through negotiations with the Commonwealth." The Bussell Highway duplication is not the only road project that has blown out in WA's south. The cost of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road that opened late last year — now the Wilman Wadandi Highway — swelled to $1.46 billion, more than $600 million over what was initially estimated. Questions also remain around the overall benefit delivered by both projects. Curtin University researcher and former Infrastructure Australia board member Peter Newman said the development, while popular, came at the cost of alternatives. "Both of them are extraordinarily over-designed … in my view, they take up a massive amount of space," Professor Newman said. He believed the money would be better spent on electric public transport links to the South West region. "These [ideas] are not ever getting onto the agenda because of the massive amount of money that is being spent on these kinds of [road] projects."
West Australian
01-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Labor slams Nationals over airfare cap ‘lies', insists regional scheme will continue beyond 2026
Labor has hit back at WA Nationals leader Shane Love, clarifying the regional airfare zone cap scheme is not being scrapped, despite funding only being outlined until 2026. Since 2022, the initiative has been embraced by regional residents, with more than 420,000 capped airfares flown since the scheme began. Mr Love said Treasurer Rita Saffioti had 'failed to commit' to the long-term future of the scheme, after the Cook Government announced a further $4 million to extend the program to mid-2026. Calling the airfare cap scheme a 'vital lifeline' that keeps 'communities connected', Mr Love said the Government's 2025-26 Budget was a 'warning shot'. 'The Treasurer's Budget provides funding for the airfare cap for this year only. Beyond that? Not a cent in the forward estimates. That's not a mistake; it's a warning shot,' he said. 'Royalties for Regions had been funding the program, but with no allocation in future years, the public can only assume it's been killed off. 'This isn't just a Budget line item, it's about access to healthcare, education and basic family connection. Without affordable airfares, regional Western Australians are stranded.' Treasurer and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the airfare cap scheme was here to stay. 'The regional capped airfare scheme isn't going anywhere, and the Nationals know that,' she said. 'The Nationals are blatantly lying to the communities they claim to represent, and they should be ashamed. 'Our Labor Government started this scheme, and we recognise how important it has been for regional communities. It's not going anywhere.' A review and renegotiation of the scheme will begin mid-year, with the extension to mid-2026 ensuring uninterrupted service during the process. 'This additional investment will see the scheme extended until the middle of 2026 and ensure there is no gap in service delivery while we review and renegotiate terms with the airlines,' Ms Saffioti said.
ABC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
A new financial year means a new budget. Here's how West Australians will fare
It's a new financial year, which means a new budget is in place. But what does this mean for West Australians, and can they expect to be better or worse off over the next 12 months? Here's what will cost you more, where you'll get some assistance and more importantly, when it will happen. There are several changes to this year's state budget coming into effect today that might have some West Australians revising their financial spreadsheet. Firstly, there will be an increase of 2.5 per cent to bills like water and electricity, which will cost the average household an extra $94 a year. For the past five years, the Cook government has been helping WA households pay their power bills with electricity credits, but those payments will be put on hold. But it's not all bad news, with the federal government promising to shave $150 off every household's yearly power bill. It will also cost you more to keep your car on the road. Car registration and drivers licence fees are expected to increase by 3 per cent, which means you'll be spending more than $1,000 per annum in on-road costs for households with one car. In their budget's key initiatives, the WA government said it would spend almost a billion dollars — or $963 million to be exact — on cost-of-living relief measures. If you have a mortgage, it's good news, with cash rates tipped to stay low. But for renters, the next 12 months could see little reprieve, with weekly rents expected to remain high. The government has allocated funding towards infrastructure to build new homes but this will take time, and it's unlikely benefits will be felt over the next year. The budget set aside $337 million for the state's residential battery scheme, which is expected to support around 100,000 households. The second round of the WA student assistance payment will get $89 million, supporting primary and kindergarten students. For kids taking public transport to school, the government has promised $10 million to extend free public transport in the 2026 school year. The latest budget has also pledged stamp duty relief for first home buyers. So, will you be better off over the next 12 months? Alan Duncan, director of the BankWest Curtin Economics centre at Curtin University, said the budget had taken some steps to help households across the state, but it would not offer immediate relief to those struggling the most. Mr Duncan said the amount of pressure people were currently under had taken time to accumulate and therefore would take time to overcome. "Proportionately, the rising rental costs in Western Australia are amongst the largest in the country," he said. "The housing supply sector has been under special pressure in Western Australia … our property sector has been quite challenged in meeting the increased demands of the housing supply." Mr Duncan said while wages and salaries were growing at a faster rate than prices in some respects, it was still not substantial. "If it was half a per cent … that rate of real wage growth, it will still take you possibly three or four years to get back to the purchasing power wages had before the start of this huge trajectory of rising prices," he said. In assessing whether there are enough measures to alleviate immediate cost-of-living pressures, Mr Duncan believes we're "a bit short". "Not everybody is able to take advantage of the lower public transport fares or the free transport for school children," he said. "We are seeing some relief for energy costs, but that comes through the Commonwealth government's measures and the state government's electricity credits being paused." But he said the budget has been good for the time we are in. "In the scheme of things, we're in a far, far better position in WA than pretty much any other state in that regard, so I'm very comfortable with the strength and the sustainability of our public finances," he said. Mr Duncan said one budget could not overcome years of accumulated pressure. "What I'm really looking for is a continuation and a sustained commitment to improve the support measures that are put in place to help our families and our community," he said.
