The long-awaited expansion of the region’s biggest hospital and 26 new homes for frontline workers headline the local highlights of Thursday’s State Budget, while a relatively small gas transition package will likely disappoint.
Pipped by Treasurer Rita Saffioti as a cost of living, housing and health-focused document, her 2026-27 Budget delivers broad support measures to regional Western Australians, but is relatively scarce in new Great Southern-specific programs or infrastructure.
Headlining the package is the vital expansion of the Albany Health Campus, an item that has been on the cards for at least half a decade, and funding for the construction of 26 new GROH homes to house those in the healthcare, community safety and education sectors.
Notably, only $10.8m has been promised to help transition about 8000 Albany residents out of mains gas following the start of the network’s decommissioning later this year — a number Albany MLA Scott Leary says represents a “lack of meaningful support” given that the bulk of it ($9m) is for government-subsidised social housing.
“Families are being told they will need to transition away from gas, but there is still no detailed funding package to help ordinary residents cover the cost of replacing appliances, upgrading switchboards or modifying older homes,” he said.
“Businesses are also being left in limbo, particularly hospitality operators and commercial premises that rely heavily on gas infrastructure.”
Premier Roger Cook said the Budget “delivers for all Western Australians”, and will “help seize the big job-creating projects in front of us in regional WA”.
So, who are the Budget winners in the Great Southern this time around? Here’s the Advertiser’s five-minute-guide to what is in it for our region.
HEALTH
The region’s straining hospital, Albany Health Campus, will be eased by the construction of a new modular ward boasting 32 beds.
Located adjacent to the current building and connected by a purpose-built link, the $60 million dollar expansion will double the facility’s capacity with the components to be constructed off-site before being transported and assembled in Spencer Park.
The modular ward expansion project was a key election commitment for the Cook Labor Government during the 2025 election campaign, with then-health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson saying the ward was expected to be operational by 2027.
A State Government spokesperson confirmed with the funding announcement it was still aiming for its original completion date target, making it a race against the clock to see whether the ward will be ready in time for patients next year.
Last year’s Budget raised eyebrows when only $1m was allocated for the “planning’ stage of the promised expansion.
This years papers reveal that $6m has already been spent, with $45.1m set aside for 2026-27 and $8.8m for 2027-28.
About 60 additional WA Country Health Service doctors, nurses and allied health specialists will be required to staff the new ward.
The hospital will also likely benefit in the $68.6m of funding funnelled into WACHS, the agency that operates public regional hospitals across the State.
Regional WA-wide increases to hospital maintenance funding ($214m), medical equipment and imaging upgrades ($143m), child development services ($49.8m) and community mental health, alcohol and drugs services ($43.8m) are also expected to benefit the Great Southern.
HOUSING
Just under $11m has been allocated to help Albany residents connected to the soon-to-be decommissioned mains gas network in their energy transition across the next three years.
Crucially, $9m of the $10.8m is for converting social housing to bottled gas or electricity, with $2.9m allocated in 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.
The remaining $1.8m — $676,000 already spent and $1.1m for the coming year — will go towards “supporting customers impacted” by the decommissioning of the rest of ATCO’s network, which is due to start later this year.
No further State funding to ease the transition has yet been flagged, despite Albany mayor Greg Stocks calling for financial assistance measures to help about 8000 affected residents.
Regional frontline workers in Albany will have 26 new homes by 2030, thanks to a $419m pool dedicated to construct more than 500 GROH homes in WA.
Local housing and subdivision projects will be bolstered by a $50m increase to the residential housing support fund, while first-homebuyers benefit from a $297m housing tax package and a $250m first-homebuyer commercial financing facility.
The region will share in a $75m investment in water and wastewater infrastructure services to facilitate the development of residential lots, and $1.6b to build or refurbish 1800 social and affordable homes, 500 homes for first-homebuyers, land acquisition and maintenance.
EDUCATION
Denmark Primary School has been handed $400,000 for carpark upgrades.
An additional $218.6m has boosted maintenance works for schools across the State, while funds continue to be poured into upgrades and expansions at North Albany Senior High School ($1.1m), Albany Senior High School ($3.4m) and Spencer Park Education Support Centre.
Great Southern public school teachers will benefit from a $310m Statewide increase to disability student support and $15.7m for their own training.
ENVIRONMENT
The Great Southern’s water woes will be assisted by $52.9m set aside to establish a regional water source fund for future planning and investigation of water source alternatives in regional WA.
It is unclear how much of this, if any, will go towards investigating the desalination plant proposed for Nanarup.
Wilson Inlet, Torbay Inlet and Oyster Harbour waterways will share in the $6.2m bolstering the Healthy Estuaries WA program, while $24.7m will go towards the State’s bio-security and animal disease preparedness.
Funding will continue for the replacement of the 1971-built timber jetty B at the Emu Point marina ($2m) and building of the floating pontoon jetty at the Albany Waterfront Marina will receive $4m.
SAFETY
Expanding capacity at the women’s refuge in Albany will be bolstered by a $2.9m investment.
The Target 120 early intervention program, designed to support at-risk young people who have already come into contact with the justice system, will continue in Albany thanks to a $61.4m Statewide boost.
The Great Southern will benefit from $421m poured into child protective services across WA, a $52.4m boost for foster and grandcarers, and a $91m investment into homeless services.
Road safety campaigns will see a $60.7m allocation, while $36.1m is set aside to continue the Driver Access and Equity program to support disadvantaged learner drivers obtaining their licence.
Regional policing will be bolstered by $24.2m going into operation regional shield and ageing fire trucks and ambulances can be replaced through the $31.2m fire and emergency services fleet pool.
COST OF LIVING
Anyone with a valid licence will have $100 dropped into their account as part of the flagship fuel support payment cost-of-living measure.
Whether cash to cover about one tank of petrol will be of huge relief to regional drivers who typically drive more kilometres than their metropolitan counterparts is yet to be seen.
A $33.1m contribution to the fuel excise relief program will reduce prices at the bowser by 32c per litre.
Public transport for Albany school children will be free and parents of the Great Southern’s 11,200 students will receive $150 for each primary and kindergarten student and $250 for each secondary school student as part of the $89.5m WA student assistance payment.
ECONOMY AND JOBS
Western Power’s network and electricity capacity across the State will be expanded in a $973m boost, and local manufacturers will be encouraged to lower their energy cost through the $150m Made in WA energy affordability investment program.
New energy projects will be supported by a $30m increase to the investment attractions fund and $19.6m will go towards supporting construction businesses hire more apprentices and trainees.
Construction of a new berth at the Port of Albany will continue thanks to a $3.2m investment.
While a total of $3.6b will be spent on upgrading and maintaining regional roads over the next four years, no Great Southern thoroughfares have specifically been named.
Half of the promised $50m has been allocated to upgrades of South Coast Highway between Cheynes Road and Kojaneerup.
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