YOUNG West Australians say housing, cost of living and public transport should have been bigger priorities in the Cook government’s recent Budget.

The Youth Affair Council of WA recently surveyed its members about their take on the budget, and has warned current support does not go far enough.

YACWA said the 2026–27 WA Budget included welcome investments in mental health, youth services and inclusion, but fell short of addressing major barriers facing young people.

The organisation said youth homelessness initiatives were useful but did not match the scale of the crisis, and called for more youth-specific housing support.

Notre Dame student Bryn, from Mosman Park, said homelessness should be a higher priority for the State Government.

“Probably homelessness just in general, not just young people,” he said.

“I see quite a lot of it around Fremantle and the city.”

Bryn said housing affordability was also a major issue for young people.

He said young people faced pressure from rent, student loans and everyday costs.

“More than it ever has,” he said.

“Young people have a lot of financial pressure with student loans, with rent and overall cost of living.”

YACWA’s analysis said the Budget included $4.168m in 2026–27 for Indigo Junction youth homelessness accommodation, $717,000 for youth homelessness in-reach supported accommodation and $3.717m for homelessness accommodation services uplift.

But the organisation said the funding did not adequately address the urgency of youth homelessness.

Another young person, Jake, from Doubleview, said housing was the biggest financial pressure for people his age.

“Looking to buy a house isn’t even a question right now,” he said.

Pressures

Jake said cost-of-living pressures affected young people differently because many were in entry-level jobs.

“It is affecting us more,” he said.

“We usually have lower-level entry jobs with less pay.”

The WA Budget included several cost-of-living measures, including $70.1 million for free public transport on Sundays and for students travelling to and from school.

YACWA said the measure should be expanded so all children and young people could access free public transport, not just school students.

Jake said cheaper or free public transport would help him because he used it almost every day.

“Yeah definitely, I catch it nearly every day and it adds up,” he said.

He said cheaper transport, sports subsidies and more community events would help young people improve their wellbeing.

Bryn said free public transport would not make a major difference to him personally, but he supported reducing pressure on young people.

He said young people were often told to work harder, despite wages not keeping up with inflation.

“They don’t understand it was easier back then for them,” he said.

“But inflation has risen and wages have not.”

YACWA’s analysis was more positive about mental health spending, including $7.2m for the Luminos Youth Suicide Sanctuary and $4.539m for a metropolitan youth Step-Up Step-Down facility.

The organisation said Luminos was an important alternative to emergency departments for young people aged 16 to 24 experiencing suicidal thoughts.

However, YACWA raised concerns about the Government’s $158.5m commitment over four years to a new high-security youth detention centre.

YACWA also said cost-of-living support often treated young people as members of families or school systems, rather than as individuals with their own financial pressures.

Bryn said the Government needed to provide more support for young people facing the cost-of-living crisis.

“We need more assistance for cost-of-living crisis overall,” he said.

by MAX BUCK