Roger Cook and WA Labor to step up cost of living relief for WA families

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will deliver hundreds of dollars in important cost of living relief to Western Australian families.
  • Re-elected Cook Labor Government to cut school costs for WA families
  • Families to receive WA student assistance payments of $250 for every secondary school student and $150 for primary and kindergarten students in Term 2, 2025
  • $37 million to expand the School Breakfast Program to more schools and five days a week
  • $10 million to support public school canteens to boost access to healthy, affordable lunches

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will deliver hundreds of dollars in important cost of living relief to Western Australian families.

WA Labor's $89 million commitment to fund a 2025 round of the successful WA student assistance payment in Term 2, 2025, will provide:

  • $250 payments for every secondary school student; and
  • $150 for primary and kindergarten students.

Applications for the WA student assistance payment will open via the ServiceWA app and Department of Education website, with paper forms to be made available where needed, soon after WA schools’ 2025 student census data becomes available at the end of Term 1.

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will also fund a $37 million expansion of the School Breakfast Program into all schools where students may need extra support.

This will increase the number of schools where free breakfasts are delivered from around 500 to more than 650 – with the service to be boosted from two to five days per week.

A further $10 million will be invested in a new program to build the capacity of WA's public school canteens so they can provide greater access to healthy and affordable lunches for students.

This program will provide grants for schools with a lack of capacity in their canteens to employ staff, purchase key equipment like ovens, fridges and toasters, and upgrade and maintain their facilities.

WA Labor's commitment builds on $1.1 billion in cost of living measures already being delivered by the Cook Labor Government, including:

  • $75 million in distributed student assistance payments;
  • free public transport for school students;
  • WA household electricity credits;
  • increased school clothing allowance through the Secondary Assistance Scheme; and
  • discounted school camps in 2025.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

"Last year we helped almost 400,000 families with cost of living support through our successful WA student assistance payment, which helped pay for a range of school essentials like uniforms, shoes, backpacks, calculators, extracurriculars and excursions."

“Having raised my kids in Kwinana, I know all too well there are new school expenses every year – that's why a re-elected Cook Labor Government will offer another round of financial support to every WA family with school-age children in Term 2, 2025."

"We are always looking for ways to provide additional support to those who need it, and serving up free breakfasts five days a week will set thousands of school students up for success each day."

"We'll also better resource our hardworking school canteens so more students can access healthy, delicious and affordable lunches throughout the week."

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