❓ Mrs Warr asks the Premier about increasing government travel subsidies due to rising fuel prices, particularly in regional areas. The Premier responds by highlighting existing measures to mitigate fuel price impacts and support regional communities, while acknowledging ongoing consideration of cost-of-living support.
AnsweredQoN 201Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Fuel prices—Government travel subsidies
201. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to the steep
increase in fuel prices across Western Australia, particularly in regional
areas, and the impact this is having on households that rely on government
travel assistance.
(1) Will the government increase support
under the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme, the student conveyance allowance and
other government travel subsidies?
(2) Will the government lift the Regional
Pensioner Travel Card to $1,000 to ensure that vulnerable Western Australians
are not priced out of accessing essential services?
201. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to the steep
increase in fuel prices across Western Australia, particularly in regional
areas, and the impact this is having on households that rely on government
travel assistance.
(1) Will the government increase support
under the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme, the student conveyance allowance and
other government travel subsidies?
(2) Will the government lift the Regional
Pensioner Travel Card to $1,000 to ensure that vulnerable Western Australians
are not priced out of accessing essential services?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) As the member knows, we have done a
significant amount of activity already to make sure that we reduce the impact
of increased fuel prices and scarcity in regional communities. As I said, that
includes allowing road trains to carry heavier loads so that we can reduce the
unit cost of the food and the fuel on those trucks.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: In addition to that, we have ensured
that additional fuel has flowed into the system, including up to five million
litres from Atlas Fuel directed to the Wheatbelt and key regions in March and
April. We further announced support to airlines operating in regional Western
Australia on 7 April, ensuring that fares under the regional airfare zone cap
scheme are maintained.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
for the first time. Please stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: We also announced on 7 April that we will
permit 53.5-metre triple-trailer road trains to travel on the Great Northern
Highway between Wubin and Muchea to get more goods into regional Western
Australia. We allowed accredited truck road trains and milk tankers to carry up
to an additional 10 tonnes per load from 9 April. The industry operations group
and the industry working group continue to look at how we can provide support
for the community and for industry groups as they deal with the impacts of
uncertainty, supply constraints and higher prices. We
are very proud of the fact that we increased significantly the Patient Assisted
Travel Scheme from 16c to 40c compared with those opposite when they were
in government. In addition, we increased the pensioner fuel card in the last
budget.
There are always
opportunities for governments to support Western Australians dealing with the
cost of living. While we have the strongest economy in the country, the fastest
growing economy in the country and the fastest growing population in the
country, there are plenty of economic opportunities for Western Australians, but
there are those who are doing it tough. We have always said that we will
support those who are doing it tough through responsible and timely cost-of-living
measures.
significant amount of activity already to make sure that we reduce the impact
of increased fuel prices and scarcity in regional communities. As I said, that
includes allowing road trains to carry heavier loads so that we can reduce the
unit cost of the food and the fuel on those trucks.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: In addition to that, we have ensured
that additional fuel has flowed into the system, including up to five million
litres from Atlas Fuel directed to the Wheatbelt and key regions in March and
April. We further announced support to airlines operating in regional Western
Australia on 7 April, ensuring that fares under the regional airfare zone cap
scheme are maintained.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
for the first time. Please stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: We also announced on 7 April that we will
permit 53.5-metre triple-trailer road trains to travel on the Great Northern
Highway between Wubin and Muchea to get more goods into regional Western
Australia. We allowed accredited truck road trains and milk tankers to carry up
to an additional 10 tonnes per load from 9 April. The industry operations group
and the industry working group continue to look at how we can provide support
for the community and for industry groups as they deal with the impacts of
uncertainty, supply constraints and higher prices. We
are very proud of the fact that we increased significantly the Patient Assisted
Travel Scheme from 16c to 40c compared with those opposite when they were
in government. In addition, we increased the pensioner fuel card in the last
budget.
There are always
opportunities for governments to support Western Australians dealing with the
cost of living. While we have the strongest economy in the country, the fastest
growing economy in the country and the fastest growing population in the
country, there are plenty of economic opportunities for Western Australians, but
there are those who are doing it tough. We have always said that we will
support those who are doing it tough through responsible and timely cost-of-living
measures.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.