State election – let’s look through a health lens

Posted on February 17, 2025

With a state election looming, we have been keeping an eye on the announcements from both major parties to see what they are saying about health. 

At Health Consumers’ Council we are keen to see new policies and programs within the health system to help improve the experience of consumers and patient outcomes. While big spending on infrastructure is always welcome and necessary, we are also really interested in ideas that will change and improve the way people interact with the health system every day. 

We want to see increased investment in primary care, increased investment in preventative health measures, a continued focus on improving the efficiency and capacity of  the hospital system and improved access to health care in the community. 

We’ve had a look at what the major parties have said about each of our priority areas and we’ve summarised them for you, so you can decide what is important for you in health when you are going to vote. 

Our Priorities WA Labor Party WA Liberal Party 
Increased investment in primary care
  • $8.2 million “GP Ask” program allowing GPs to communicate directly with WA Health Specialists on behalf of patients reducing the need for ED visits and referrals  
  • $14 million for women’s health centres 
  • GPs to be able to diagnose and prescribe medicines for ADHD
  • $26.4 million for GP training incentives 
  • $1 million for GP community residency program 
  • $5 million GP upskilling for ADHD co prescribing
Increased investment in preventative measures
  • $39.5 million for public access to treatment at Ngala’s residential parents service 
  • $6 million to help develop more community housing 
  • $3.1 million housing first program in Bunbury 
  • $10.4 million expand Homeless Engagement Assessment Response Team 
  • $38.6 million family and domestic violence package includes increasing capacity of refuges in Geraldton, reforms to restraining orders act 
  • $850 000 for Australian Breastfeeding Association breastfeeding education classes, training and local parent groups 
  • $4 million to support development, implementation of mental health and suicide prevention programs in the workplace
  • $36.3 million universal access to residential parents service at Ngala 
  • $40 million suicide prevention programs  
  • $40 million mental health prevention strategies 
  • $6 million to kids help line
Improved efficiency and capacity of hospital system 
  • $3.3 billion to improve health infrastructure – redevelopments at Bunbury, Geraldton and Peel 
  • $104 million in improvements to Royal Perth Hospital  
  • $100 million for Midland Health campus ED  
  • $36.3 million for WA Virtual Emergency Department 
  • $2.5 million Womens’ reproductive health day procedure centre  
  • Build Womens and Babies hospital in Murdoch 
  • $50 million to expand Ronald McDonald House, $25 million for Cancer Council WA Lodge Accommodation services  
  • $5 million for adult eating disorder services  
  • $275 million to provide 500 additional transitional care beds 
  • $13 million for high residential rehab beds for compulsory drug rehabilitation 
  • $100 million in four years Elective surgery guarantee  – everyone will get surgery within clinical timeframes – by getting it at no cost in the private system if cannot be accommodated in public system  
  • $20 000 payment to study and work as a nurse in WA – adding 2000 nurses to the workforce 
  • $33.5 million for eating disorder services  
  • $73.2 million to expand St John Urgent Care clinics 
  • $18 million for 60 000 episodes of care at St John Urgent Care  
  • $10 million training for high demand specialists 
  • Build Womens and Babies hospital in Nedlands 
  • $80 million to rebuild Royal Perth Hospital 
  • Two new wards at Joondalup Health Campus
Improved access to health care in the community  
  • $26 million for youth mental health in the regions including $13.8 million for an Acute Care and Response team in Bunbury and $12.2 million to access virtual infant and child mental health services  
  • $9.9 million to transition a Kalgoorlie mental health program into a public subacute mental health facility 
  • $30.4 million health outcomes in Kimberley, including new clinic at Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service, a Derby Wellness centre with focus on drug and alcohol services, mental health support FDV services and aged care, detox facility in Broome and double renal dialysis capacity at Fitzroy Crossing. 
  • $12.4 million for a rehab centre in the Great Southern 
  • $16.3 million regional paramedics in Peel and South West 
  • PATS fuel rebate increase from 26c per km to 40c per km and expanded number of eligible services for PATS  – physio, speech, OT and dental  
  • $140 million aged care including loans for providers to deliver more beds and a program of Integrated Older Adult Care Hubs, Dementia Action Plan and an Aged Care Facility for Aboriginal people in Queens Park.  
  • $7.5 million for improved RFDS Services in the MidWest  
  • $21 million radiation oncology services in Geraldton  
  • $2 million renal dialysis unit in Geraldton
  • $24 million Chemo in the Home program  
  • $19 million for five regional mobile dental units 
  • PATS increase to .40c per km (same) nightly allowance $150 per night 
  • $10 million on career paramedics in regions  
  • $25 million radiation oncology in Geraldton 
  • Build Tom Price Hospital  
  • $5.5 million for outpatient and ambulatory care services at Kalamunda hospital  
  • $3 million to expand dispensing of hospital only medications to community pharmacies  
  • $60 million for free post discharge GP visits

Find out more:
WA Labour
WA Liberals
WA Greens
WA Nationals

They vote for you

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead
Published on Feb 17, 2025  |  For media enquiries: 0488 701 839