New Education Funding Shows Labor is Playing Catch Up

Media Release | 20 April 2026

Liam Staltari MLA
Shadow Minsiter for Education;
Early Childhood; Disability Services

Today’s education funding announcement is a clear admission the Cook Labor
Government has neglected Western Australia’s school infrastructure for years and failed to
keep pace with growing demand.

Shadow Education Minister Liam Staltari said while any investment in WA’s public schools
is welcome, this package was long overdue and largely recycled.

“The Government’s $2.1 billion headline figure is misleading – most of it is already included
in the 2025–26 Budget or previously announced,” he said.

“Not a single genuinely new, fully-funded school has been announced today. This is simply
a rehash of existing commitments, not a plan to deliver new schools for WA’s growing
communities.

Mr Staltari said the additional funding amounts to around $650 million, including $400
million for school maintenance and upgrades.

“At its core, this is catch-up after years of neglect,” he said.

“If infrastructure had been properly maintained, schools wouldn’t now be overcrowded
and under pressure.”

Mr Staltari said the most recent Building Condition Assessment showed WA schools are
riddled with more than 10,000 defects including electrical faults, mould, sagging walls and
worse.

“The reality is students and teachers have been forced to work in old and dilapidated
conditions for far too long,” he said.

Mr Staltari said the Government had also finally bowed to Opposition and community
pressure to fully fund its ‘Cool the Schools’ air-conditioning upgrade program – more than
a year after announcing it.

“Our schools have just emerged from another hot summer, with just three of the 45
promised air-conditioning upgrades actually delivered.

“With funding now allocated, delivery must be fast-tracked, but the sad reality is many
schools will be waiting years before they see a single upgrade.

“Labor has been quick to promise on the campaign trail, but slow to deliver in reality for
teachers, students and school communities.”

Mr Staltari said funding to expand capacity at schools like Riva Primary School and Piara
Waters Primary School was needed, but overdue.

“There has been a massive surge in the use of transportable classrooms across our state.
These schools had been overcrowded for years, relying on transportables to cope,” he
said.

“Across WA, poor planning and delayed delivery have left schools bursting at the seams.
“Students, teachers and families deserve better than a Government that only acts once
problems reach crisis point.”

Contact: Graham Mason – 0419 194 792