Budget focused on ensuring every Western Australian has a home

• 2026-27 State Budget delivers an additional $4.7 billion to ensure every Western Australian has a home
• Funding increase brings the Cook Labor Government's record investment in additional housing measures to $10.8 billion since 2021
• $297 million for a housing tax package, including stamp duty relief for first home buyers and support for seniors to downsize into new apartments, townhouses, and survey strata developments
• Budget prioritises housing by unlocking more land supply, building thousands of homes for Western Australians and helping first home buyers get into the market

The Cook Labor Government's 2026-27 Budget delivers an additional $4.7 billion investment in housing, bringing its overall new investment in housing measures to $10.8 billion since 2021.

Housing is a key priority in this year's State Budget, with a focus on boosting supply, helping young people and families purchase their first home and alleviating pressures in the rental market.

Housing and residential land supply is being boosted with an investment of $1.3 billion in land development and power, water, and other enabling infrastructure, including:

• $694 million for DevelopmentWA to develop residential land to create thousands of new lots across the State and activate METRONET station precincts;
• $522 million for power and water infrastructure to unlock 83,200 lots as part of the Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund; and
• an additional $40 million top up to the Infrastructure Development Fund, including $20 million from the Commonwealth Government, taking that fund from $80 million to $120 million.

This Budget continues the Cook Labor Government's significant investment in social and affordable housing with an additional $1.5 billion, including:

• over $1 billion of new investment under the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) partnership between the State and Commonwealth Governments to deliver an additional 1,426 social and affordable homes; and
• $452 million to deliver a further 165 social housing dwellings, refurbish 215 houses, support land acquisitions, and undertake maintenance for WA's 45,000 social homes.

These investments bring the State's delivery pipeline to more than 9,800 homes from July 2021 to 30 June 2030, including social homes and affordable rentals delivered through the HAFF. The government has already delivered more than 4,000 social homes, with more than 1,000 social homes currently under construction or contract. 

The Cook Labor Government is funding targeted initiatives and tax relief to help more first home buyers get into the market, including:

• $375 million to deliver 500 affordable dwellings to be targeted specifically to first home buyers with a shared equity component;
• a $250 million Pre-sale Guarantee to unlock more than 1,000 new apartments and townhouses through Keystart;
• a $250 million First Home Buyer Commercial Financing Fund, providing concessional loans to support multi-residential developments get off the ground sooner;
• $297 million for a housing tax package, including stamp duty relief for first home buyers and support for seniors to downsize into new apartments, townhouses, and survey strata developments; and
• in stamp duty relief, including raising exemption and concession thresholds for first home buyers to assist around 6,000 first home buyers per year.

The Budget delivers $692 million to support housing supply in regional WA, including:

• $419 million to support accommodation for key government workers in regional WA. This includes more than 500 dwellings through the Seven Cities New Build program
• a tripling of the Regional Housing Support Fund from $25 million to $75 million, including $25 million from the Commonwealth Government;
• $75.2 million for DevelopmentWA to deliver a new residential development with 121 lots at Western Edge in South Hedland;
• $40.7 million to develop an additional 111 lots in the Broome North residential estate; and
• an $82 million top-up to the Remote Communities Fund for investment into housing in remote communities.

To increase construction capacity and speed up housing delivery, the Budget includes investment to grow the workforce and modernise building methods, including:

• $48 million for two Housing and Infrastructure Advanced Manufacturing Facilities in Kwinana and Neerabup. These facilities are expected to support the delivery of up to 10,000 apartments by 2030, as well as non-residential infrastructure such as hospitals and schools;
• $19.6 million for an additional 330 places under the Group Training Organisation Wage Subsidy Program, bringing the total funding to $156.1 million, and supporting over 1,300 apprentices and trainees;
• $18.7 million for the extension of lower fee and fee-free TAFE into 2027 to support the training of new construction workers, including electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, and plasterers; and
• $13.1 million to extend the Construction Visa Subsidy Program and Build a Life in WA incentive with an additional 1,100 places as well as to extend operations of the Construction Migration Office.

This Budget also includes more than $105 million investment in housing support and homelessness initiatives, including:

• a further $13.5 million to extend the Rent Relief Program to June 2027. The program has already helped more than 4,000 households avoid evictions by paying up to $5,000 to assist with rental stress and rental arrears; and
• a total of $91.1 million to bolster homelessness services, largely comprising $48.1 million for homelessness accommodation services, $13.2 million to operate the Perth Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation, $10.7 million for the Safe Night Space for Women, $6.2 million to deliver the Regional Supportive Landlord Model in Kalgoorlie, and $4.8 million for the Kalgoorlie Transitional Services that provides year-round and culturally safe return-to-Country transportation services.

The Cook Labor Government will invest in the following initiatives to support WA's building and construction industry, as well as attract and recruit skilled workers to build homes and critical infrastructure:

• $19.6 million for an additional 330 places supported by the Group Training Organisation Wage Subsidy Program; and
• $2.1 million to extend operations of the Construction Migration Office.

For more information, visit ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

"My government is prioritising building more houses for Western Australians throughout the State.

"That's exactly what this Budget will deliver for WA.

"We want everyone in WA to benefit from the security a home provides.

"Our responsible Budget management has kept WA's economy the strongest in the nation so we can continue helping more Western Australians buy their first home, increasing land supply for housing, and deliver more social, community, and affordable housing.

Comments attributed to Treasurer Rita Saffioti:

"This Budget is all about delivering more homes for WA families, first home buyers, and downsizers.

"Western Australians want the same opportunity as their parents and grandparents to have a home of their own.

"That's why we're investing a record $4.7 billion to unlock more land, speed up construction, and deliver more social and affordable homes for Western Australians.

"We've delivered METRONET to connect our suburbs, and now we're delivering METRONET precincts to transform our suburbs and build thousands of homes."

Comments attributed to Housing and Works and Planning and Lands Minister John Carey:

"Western Australia has seen extraordinary growth in approvals and completions, but we know there continues to be pressures in our housing and rental markets.

"We are now investing a record $10.8 billion in housing since 2021, and the additional measures funded in this year's budget build on our existing focus on boosting supply, cutting red tape for housing, and accelerating the delivery of social homes and affordable rentals.

"Our government will continue to invest to support vulnerable Western Australians into secure housing, help first home buyers into the market, and alleviate pressure on renters."

Comments attributed to Homelessness Minister Matthew Swinbourn:

"Our government is investing to deliver more crisis accommodation and to continue supporting outreach services across the State, with this Budget continuing that focus.

"This budget also includes substantial investments to deliver housing security, including by funding the extension of the Rent Relief Program and half a billion dollars to deliver hundreds more social homes."