No relief on cost-of-living pressures for Western Australians

Despite promising cost of living relief, the Cook Labor Government is offering nothing for Western Australians, with looming power bill increases and an ongoing housing crisis.

The double whammy of having to find an extra $500 a year to pay power bills and the soaring cost to buy or rent a house in this state is hitting the most vulnerable Western Australians.

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said despite the Premier saying cost of living was his top priority before the election, the State Government is failing to deliver relief for families, young people, older Western Australians and businesses.

“This Government is responsible for rising power bills, soaring rents and not enough housing being built because tradies are working on the government’s infrastructure projects, rather than building residential houses,” he said.

“Professor Alan Duncan from the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre said this ‘housing crisis is one for the history books’. Meanwhile this Government is focused on a $220 million racetrack at Burswood Park that no one wants.

“We are the wealthiest state in the nation, but many people are far worse off.”

Shadow Minister for Energy Dr Steve Thomas said the reality check for Western Australian households in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis was having to find another $500 to pay this year’s power bills.

“The combination of the axing of the electricity bill credit and an expected 2.8 per cent rise in power prices will hurt families,” he said.

“On top of that, businesses in the contestable market have seen their bills going up 25 to 45 per cent over the last couple of years.

“Business slugged with rising power costs rising will have no choice but to charge their customers more or cut back their production. Either way, prices go up.”

Shadow Housing Minister David Bolt said the Cook Labor Government was failing Western Australians on every housing target it had set, with skyrocketing rents, new builds taking too long and a lack of social housing.

“It takes longer to build a house in WA than anywhere else in the country, there is a chronic underinvestment in social housing and thousands of renters believe they will never be able to afford a home,” he said.

“The most vulnerable in our community are suffering the most. This is affecting single income households, young people and older West Australians.

"The red flags have been there for years. The Government is more focused on statistics and vanity projects rather than doing something that will make a real difference and fix the chronic structural issues facing the WA housing market."