Building local economies in regional Western Australia and funding key infrastructure projects were the main takeaways from a budget-breakdown breakfast held by Mandurah MP David Templeman on Friday.
WA treasurer Ben Wyatt revealed his budget on Thursday afternoon, proclaiming that the state's finances were back to surplus for the first time in five years.
The briefing, held between 7-9am at the David Grays Arena, allowed residents and community leaders to hear the minister discuss the impact of the state budget from a regional perspective.
Read more: State Budget: What's in it for the Peel?
The event sparked interest from across the region with local government representatives from Mandurah, Murray, Waroona and Serpentine-Jarrahdale.
Peel Development Commission chairwoman Paddi Creevy was the emcee at the briefing and directed community questions to the minister towards the end of the session.
Mr Templeman made special mention to the Murray-Wellington MP Robyn Clarke, who was also at the event, for her strong advocacy across the region.
"This budget is unashamedly about building on budget repair... [and] building on the McGowan government's focus of job creation and diversification of our economy," Mr Templeman said.
Mr Templeman told the audience that the budget's framework was underpinned by the government's "ambitious" job creation goal, which included "more than 30,000 jobs in regional WA".
He said this was included in both infrastructure and social investment commitments.
"We're diversifying our regional economy," Mr Templeman said.
"[There's] a need to focus on those industries that we're not only well-placed to optimise but other industries that we need to explore and focus on.
"For us in the Peel, as we all know, that is of absolute critical importance for us here.
"Given, of course, the historical unemployment figures that we've had over many decades."
The main infrastructure winners for Peel in the budget papers this year were the proposed multi-level car park at the Mandurah Train Station, with $32 million pledged, and the Pinjarra Heavy Haulage Deviation, which nabbed $27.5 million.
"[There's also] $32 million towards the Rail Future Fund to upgrade the Perth-Australind rail service," Mr Templeman said.
"That's an important regional rail service to us. A passenger rail service [that is] only one of three in Western Australia."
When it came to health, Mr Templeman said regardless of whoever came out on top after the May 18 federal election, the Peel region would still be a winner.
"We're in a great position now, I'll acknowledge the efforts of federal major parties, in relation to the Peel Health Campus," he said.
"The $25 million commitment from the current federal government has been matched by the federal Labor party.
"The federal Labor party has also promised an extra $5 million for meth beds at the Peel Health Campus. In this budget [there's] just under $10 million from the McGowan government with upgrades to the Peel Health Campus.
"Totalling that up, depending on who wins next Saturday, we will still come out a winner. $35 million if one party wins, $41 million if another party wins. I'll let you decide."
People who would like to learn more on the budget can visit www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au.
