[WA] Cost of Living Support (e.g. $400 Electricity Credit) @ WA State Budget

1750

WA State Budget delivers cost of living relieves.

At a glance:

  • WA government commits $492 million to deliver a fourth electricity credit, with $400 of assistance to all households and more than 90,000 small businesses.
  • Free Public Transport to Students and for Everyone Every Sunday
    WA government commits $41 million to provide free public transport to school-aged students, saving a family with two children up to $560 per year, free public transport for everyone on Sundays, and the Summer of Free Public Transport in early 2024.

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closed Comments

  • +3

    Everyone gets it, which is nice. But why post it. You dont even have to apply.

    Unless you are saying the rest of Australia shouild migrate to WA for the week its offered, then migrate back after you get it, which would be the Ozbargain way.

    Its a PSA at best

    • -6

      Such a negative people to be around

      • +27

        Its not negative, its quite positive, but its not a bargain like saying if you are unemployed you can get assistance. Nice and helpful, but its not a bargain as its a right of all WA residents

        • +13

          Spotted the NSW/VIC resident.

          • +3

            @Miami Mall Alien: Nah, they're right.

          • +24

            @Miami Mall Alien: Its nothing to do with where I reside. All power to WA residents. Its just my opinion this is a bargain site. There is no bargain per-se. Its a great announcement.

            So do we make announcements in the bargain section, when we have forums designed to do that.

            People confuse a concern about filling up our bargain site with general announcements with their being some motive like jealousy or politics or whatever.

            Is it ok to announce that my local council gives free rubbish pickups, for residents, that say dont roll over if they arent used this week. Helpful of course buts its not what you could call a bargain

            Every State budget measure giveaway in every state inc federal can now be posted as a bargain, I guess the bargain is you dont have to buy a newspaper.

            • +5

              @RockyRaccoon: This is the third time I’ve been informed of this credit in 5 mins of being on the internet. Came for bargains not repetitions.

              • ❤️ From A WA resident
            • +1

              @RockyRaccoon: For the free Sunday transport, I believe you have to have a transperth card. No card=pay. The transport cops still walk through the trains and demand to see your ticket or activated card.

              • @voteoften: Most ppl will have said pass. The only ones that won't will be tourists, who should pay.

              • @voteoften: I'd rather they walk through the trains whether its free or not, have you seen the riff raff?

            • @RockyRaccoon: We have posts about a show getting added to a steaming platform or free American political YouTube videos posted as bargains, this is at least one level above those but I still agree.

            • +1

              @RockyRaccoon: Posts announcing TV shows and movies that will be added to Netflix receive 100+ upvotes. There's little point making the argument, just roll with it.

            • @RockyRaccoon: I think the benefits that automatically apply to everyone who is eligible (such as the electricity credit) probably aren't bargains as such.

              Other things like free public transport where you wouldn't get this benefit unless you actually took the public transport are ok (as it might change someone's decision from not taking public transport to taking it).

          • -5

            @Miami Mall Alien: I dare you west coasters to go 5 minutes without bringing up the east coast. Don’t know why you’re all so bitter over there

        • +1

          I gave you a +1 to de-bury your negged post. 👍 You’re allowed to give your opinion here and I agree with you, this ain’t a bargain. What’s the RRP?

          • +3

            @Corgsta:

            this ain’t a bargain. What’s the RRP?

            Well Melbourne…
            As the amount paid for electricity bills under this scheme is cheaper than normal (RRP), it is by definition a bargain…
            For WA!

            Free public transport is a Freebie.

            Both qualify to be listed under Ozbargain's "New Deals, Coupons, Vouchers and Freebies"!

            As has happened for State Govt offers in the past on Ozbargain.
            for WA
            for Qld… a $1000 rebate

            • -1

              @INFIDEL: I humbly accept your point - looks like its ok with mods to post the announcements as deals. Ah the changes in Ozbragain over the years.

              I can now give service to my local community with announcemnts about free general rubbish pick ups, and free toxic waste drop-offs, which will save me and others tip charges. Looks like the kids Library free painting sessions will qualify as well.

              Although I guess Covid shots arent allowed

              • +1

                @RockyRaccoon: Sure - post you're having a BBQ… in NSW!!!
                Will be soon taken down by mods.

                My bin night is Tuesday, if you want to post that as a Deal.

                But it's not comparable to large rebates, Freebies & other benefits announced by a Government for a whole State.

                (Library fine amnesty have been posted as Deals. A financial saving, quite handy for some with kids.)


                Ah the changes in Ozbragain over the years.

                Get used to it! You've been a member 12 days longer than me🤔
                At least I've learnt how to spell "Ozbargain" in that time🤣

              • @RockyRaccoon: What I find ironic is the jv-clones who harp on about what is/isn't a deal/bargain, dictate exactly how they should be submitted, yet barely contribute to the community themselves.

          • +4

            @Corgsta: RRP is $8.40 return for 2 zones on a sunday

      • Western Australians?

    • +35

      So WA went from losing 60% to losing 30% of GST they collected?

    • +4

      Lost what they weren't entitled too?

    • +35

      NET CONTRIBUTION TO THE FEDERATION PER CAPITA - WA $12450, NSW $826

      • -1

        Shall we thank Gerry Harvey that you post needs shouting?

        • it was copied from a news article

    • +2

      It's WA's money.

      The GST distribution model is a joke.

  • +4

    Much better than whatever VIC is doing

    • +6

      Our broke government is just finding all avenues to tax everyone.

    • Agree.
      I personally love the idea of free public transport on Sundays.

    • +3

      I hate being Victorian right now, absolutely nothing coming out of this state except more taxes, and looks like it will be that way for another 4 years minimum. Sold my investment property and moved it interstate, now just time to move my entire life interstate.

      • I hate being Victorian right now, absolutely nothing coming out of this state except more taxes

        The question is, why did Victorians keep voting for it?

        • -1

          Because they didn’t, and still don’t have much choices?

          • +1

            @GreenRomeo: I think you'll find that they did. Dan Andrews was a terrible premier but Victoria kept reelecting him. You get the government the government that you vote for.

            • +1

              @R4: I believe he meant that we didn't have any still don't have a better alternative. I don't think he meant that we didn't vote them in. At least less than 50% didn't anyway. I didn't and still have to put up with their BS polices. Politics sucks that way. Sometimes things are better when governments are in a minority. Means they have to actually work with other parties to get support rather than just ram road every single unpopular policy down our throats because they have a "mandate" to do so. Let's hope the next election turns things around. We need change in this state. Labour continues to fail listening to the people and just does what benefits their interests. Sad way to run a state.

  • -7

    Yeah great let's push people away from renewables when the pressure should be encouraging solar panels

    Yet another example of subsidies wreaking havoc and politicians being interested in their self preservation only, rather than long term views

    • There's separate solar panel subsidies right? and the public transport options are encouraging people to use sustainable forms of transport.

      • Yes, but that doesn't change anything. Are more or less people going to move to renewables if they keep getting $400 credits?

        Public transport has been a genuine improvement for long distances and Sunday transit. In no way does that exclude a need to change the way we generate power.

        • +1

          With rooftop solar, people will save even more on electricity! The $400 saving on bill can effectively subsidise the solar installation.

          Am sure businesses will promote installation based on customers have $400 more in their wallet.

          But renewables doesn't just mean roof top solar! It produces peak output when the network doesn't need it. That causes problems for the network. And requires expensive storage to make it useful.

          • @INFIDEL: Solar has the ability to not just produce electricity during peak periods. They have variable export control limits in some states now.

            We still need a lot more solar especially in winter and in the late afternoons.

            Something like 40% of hot water systems are electric running at night, ideally we would be moving those over to daytime and have them running off solar. Then eventually moving them to heat pumps.

            As well as moving all the gas hot water over…

        • I'd guess that the credits don't convince anybody to install solar, but don't really stop anybody either since you get a credit regardless.

          A third of the power use in WA was covered by renewables last year, mostly rooftop solar. It's increasing at a decent clip and they don't want it to ramp up too quickly because the grid needs to change with it. We're in one of the best locations in the world for solar so people don't need much convincing. I haven't looked into longer term plans for baseload generation and energy storage lately, but that'd be my focus if I were interested in government power to reduce emissions.

    • +2

      The government could install solar panels on houses for free instead, rather than building solar farms in the middle of nowhere.

      • +1

        Queenslander, you haven't thought that out!

        Suburban electricity networks can't handle it!

        Would require a massive rewiring of the suburbs & massive high voltage transmission lines.
        No one wants pylons in their backyard!! That's why mass power production is at remote locations.

        A massive output from panels for middle of day is useless unless stored.
        Need to add lots of storage, as most panels are oriented to get maximum output around noon to maximise pay out, not maximise utilisable electricity!

        • -1

          Thanks for correcting me. I admit to studying physics at high school level but just learning enough to get by. It didn't interest me, and electricity still seems like magic to me. Biology interested me more, and in a biological system electricity is just a small flux of ions across a membrane, generally propagated along an axon. Relatively easy to comprehend. Understanding electricity grids is too much for an engineering-phobe like me. But I have great respect for engineers. Without them we would have a mediaeval lifestyle.

          However, the government should explain this clearly to everyone. They tell us solar panels are good, but from what you said they are good only in moderation. The lucky people get free electricity, the rest have to pay a fortune for access to the grid. And of course, on cloudless summer days they will generate heaps of electrify but under other conditions not enough. Maybe we should just build some nukes.

          I'll end with a quotation: "Biology is the only science where division is the same as multiplication".

          • @RefusdClassification: It's how we learn👍

            Discussed in articles I've read - when problems with roof top solar expansion is questioned.

            Even with an Engineering background, its a complex & specialised field. (I studied in Electrical Engineering. Learnt about & connected heavy power generating gear. Was hard work. Didn't complete my degree, moving to another field.)

            Designed, installed & lived off grid with with solar + battery storage for years, long ago. Certainly learnt the limitations & advantages. A much simpler system, not connected to grid.
            And taught in renewable energy. But its a changing area I have not kept up with.
            Electricity Network stability is a specialised area I an no expert in! But always open to learn!

            Always favoured community micro-grid solutions (roof top solar + other sources, local storage, connecting small network of consumers, with grid back up to system).

            Networks are complex systems. Akin to biological systems. Originally designed only to send electricity 1 way. From centralised generator to a system of houses & industrial consumers.

            Not designed to distribute electricity the other way, as with roof top solar.
            A relatively small proportion of distributed (roof top) production is less likely to affect the network.

            But moving towards 100% rooftop solar will cause complex issues. Adding storage & control measures should help.


            the government should explain this clearly

            Political parties are rarely interested in informing us, more of persuading or scaring us to what THEY want🤔

            (I don't think the nuclear option is a good idea for us.
            Was staying in Tokyo 2011 with European nuclear research team after Tepco Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown! We don't want that risk here!
            Even members of the LNP don't support it, but they need something to offer voters to attack Labor. More to create an argument than a real solution, like with their previous support for new coal fired generators😜 )

            Queenslander - I'm also a Queenslander🌞

      • +1

        Could you imagine when every half dopey twit decides they can install solar panels because they're guaranteed work and a high profit margin through subsidy?

        It should be made mandatory for landlords, because otherwise it won't happen to rental properties. Other than that, subsidising and gifts just push the price up by the amount of the subsidy.. it does nothing except result in crap

      • Roof top solar is fine but its use is now so widespread that it's causing instability in the grid. It's definitely part of the solution but only one part of it.

    • -2

      politicians being interested in their self preservation only, rather than long term views

      It's either that, or they worked out that people like to use electricity when the sun isn't shining.
      It's one of those two things.

    • Not sure why you're angry, WA has the second highest household ownership of Solar Energy Systems in the country at 43%, only behind SA (44.5%). That's despite having some of the worse feed in tariffs and solar subsidies in the country. I doubt $400 energy credit is going make anyone decide against investing in a $5k-$20k solar system, but it will probably be a welcome short term breather for many people struggling with bills at the moment.

      • Angry is an overstatement, but I'd like our politicians to think further than the next election. I think it's a fair and reasonable expectation of them

        Also it's $1600 so far. And likely more in the future.

  • -5

    Good, now just prospone the ban on plastic stage 3. This is going to have serious cost increases to most food and takeaway business.

    • +2

      Your comment made me curious, so I did a bit of googling. There is no Stage 3 plastic ban in WA… Only stages 1 & 2, both of which have been implemented.

    • +3

      State gov doesn't print money (or federal gov for that matter, RBA is independent from the executive branch of government)

      • Ahhh, no. They are "printing money". (or are you just thinking notes :) ?)
        All government (state and federal) unfunded debt is "printing money", through fiscal policy.
        https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/states-debt-to-hit-6…
        These moves are definately inflationary. The term "printing money" refers to unfunded expenditure. This is a direct increase in M1.
        Giving everyone $400 makes no one better off.
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_monetization

        The RBA controls interest rates and what is called monetary policy. Central banks can affect the money supply via mechanisms such as quantitative easing.

    • This person is correct.

    • damned if you do damned if you dont with you people

    • Not at all, there was a state budget surplus in the magnitude of $3.2b, a big chunk of which is being used to repay state debt from the previous Liberal government. Literally the opposite of printing money.

  • +3

    Queensland Government is providing a $1,000 electricity credit

    • +2

      That’s so good 😊
      WA has been given $1200 over the past couple years ($500, $300, $400). $1000 in one hit is super generous for QLD.
      This will put us at $1600 which I think is great and glad we have state owned utilities still.

    • +1

      This is the fourth time they’re doing it in WA and the electricity is the cheapest in the country.

      • Your comment is ironically really quite boganish.

        • It comes from the "Bogan State" also aka QLD

        • It comes from the "Bogan State" also aka QLD

        • It comes from the "Bogan State" also aka QLD

          • @payless69: Posting the same comment three times didn't make it any more decipherable.

            • @johnno07: ah well that is how good QLD is run. Govt here wastes 100's of millions trying to regulate brothels despite none being left.
              With their software support from Libya they justify their expense as being work creation!

              • @payless69: There definitely are brothels in Brisbane. And I still really don't understand what you're talking about.

    • Why can't us poor Melbournians get that. My electricity bill is about $400 bucks a year for my all electric home and EV.

      A thousand bucks credit would cover my usage for the next couple of years lol.

  • +14

    Perth is where its at y'all…been high 20's all week… perfect late Autumn weather for chilling at waterfront cafes and pubs in shorts and thongs, hitting the beach for a swim, then collecting our $400 power credits and free public transport…what a time to be alive!

    • +3

      My sister in law lives in Brissy and came here (mountain ranges in Vic) last week and spent the whole time complaining about the cold. I kept the woodheater going so she didn’t freeze but the days have been lovely. Compared to summer when they have to run their AC 24/7 (literally) to keep their house liveable and clothes drying inside. Meanwhile, I’m outside able to do work on my property without sweating my pants off. To each their own, enjoy your beach side cafes.

      • +4

        wearing shorts, swimming at the beach - we ain't sweating in our pants neither friend!

        enjoy your… uhhh…work and mountains??

    • +12

      Maybe stfu about Perth so our house prices don't end up like the eastern shitholes. So sick of people talking Perth up.

    • More money for weed?

  • +1

    Where do I collect my free student?

    • They are underage. Gonna force them to wash the car?

      • +2

        Mow the lawn, do the dishes, explain the latest tiktok trends to me… lots of uses.

        • How can they mow the lawn and get off it at the same time?

  • -3

    Mods, please move or close.

    • +2

      I appreciate. It's a bargain, free sunday travel.

    • +1

      move to Perth? or close, somewhere else nearby in WA?

    • +1

      Free travel for students! You’ve obviously never bought yearly passes for your school kids if you don’t think this is a bargain!!!!

      “Students travel free on public transport from next week”

  • It's not solely a State funded initiative.

    At least in current year, the Federal Govt provided funds to States to pass on as "cost of living" assistance, administered by the States!

    Promised again in coming financial year.

  • -5

    Cost of living? Try living in Sydney lol

    (worth it tho)

    • +1

      Or don't?

  • +2

    Not a deal, just a information. Should be in forum.

    • Mods don't agree.

  • +2

    Our nurses could do with some fishing payrise.

  • +1

    Isnt this meant to be in the forums ??

    • Thanks Melbourne😜

  • +2

    While the electricity credit is great, I'd prefer it if the state paid down the budget debt while money is flowing. Rather than just keep it growing and growing haha

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