What does the State Budget mean for the Wheatbelt?

Here are some of the key announcements from Thursday’s State Budget for the Wheatbelt.

Which budget items stand out to you?

At a glance

$295.8 million for job-creating infrastructure in the Wheatbelt
$45 million over four years for the Building Western Australia’s Grains Research and Development Capacity
$22.5 million for the Regional Economic Development Grants Scheme to drive economic development in regional Western Australia
$17.2 million towards road safety treatments to the Great Eastern Highway
$2.4 million is being made available to continue improvements on Toodyay Road
$20.5 million for the Target 120 program for early intervention into young offenders
$80 million to enhance rural bushfire capacity across the State through the new Rural Fire Division
$70 million improvements to regional roads across the State identified as high risk for runoff crashes

$10 million funding allocated to AgLime transport networks to support the safe and efficient travel of freight vehicles
$3.7 million to support educational programs at Muresk Institute of Agriculture
$1.5 million over three years for a capability building program for Aboriginal businesses, to support the Aboriginal procurement policy
$16 million to continue the Aboriginal Rangers Program over the next 4 years, to provide jobs looking after State parks and protected areas
$5.5 million investment into the Narrogin and Northam Cancer Centres to strengthen cancer services in regional WA
$12 million towards replacing two bridges in Williams along the Albany Highway
$4.8 million to upgrade the Cunderdin Pump Station
$17.7 million for the redevelopment and upgrade of Merredin District Hospital in the Eastern Wheatbelt District and the Narrogin District Health Campus in the Upper Great Southern District

$18.5 million over four years for the Regional Enforcement Unit to increase traffic enforcement on country roads
More than $2 billion will be spent on the State’s regional roads between 2018-19 and 2021-22
$39.7 million over four years to boost tourism funding to showcase regional destinations
$4.5 million over four years for new and emerging regional businesses as part of the New Industries Fund
$1.6 million over four years for the Find Cancer Early program in regional areas
$6.8 million over two years for the renal dialysis program
$182.3 million over four years for the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme to support regional Western Australians when they need to travel for medical treatment
$136 million over four years for the Country Age Pension Fuel Card and $4 million for the volunteer fuel card
$37 million for Community Resources Centres across regional Western Australia
$24.8 million for the Natural Resources Management Program
Putting education assistants and Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers back into regional classrooms
Funding to put Independent Learning Coordinators in 10 regional schools will assist students undertaking courses through the School of Isolated and Distance Education
Eight Regional Learning Specialists allocated to the School of Isolated and Distance Education to provide specialist classes for Year 11 and 12 students

2018/19 – AgLime transport networks – $10 million

2017/18 – AgLime transport networks – $10 million

2018/19 – Tourism – $39.7 million over four years

2017/18 – Tourism – $27.9 million boost

2018/19 – Natural Resource Management Program – $24.8 million

2017/18 – Natural Resource Management Program – $14.6 million

2018/19 – Regional Enforcement Unit – $18.5 million over four years

2017/18 – Regional Enforcement Unit – $18.5 million over four years

2018/19 – Country Age Pension Fuel Card – $136 million over four years

2017/18 – Country Age Pension Fuel Card – $136 million over four years

2018/19 – volunteer fuel card – $4 million

2017/18 – volunteer fuel card – $4 million

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