Free bus and train rides for school kids as WA Premier Roger Cook begins roll-out of cost-of-living measures

Schoolchildren will get free travel on buses and trains in Premier Roger Cook’s first cost-of-living fix for 2024.

In the same week that Anthony Albanese put cost-of-living front and centre of next year’s Federal election by backflipping on promised tax cuts for high-income earners in favour of greater tax cuts for lower and middle-income workers, Mr Cook has announced good news for mums and dads facing costly back-to-school expenses.

The Government already provides free school bus services in regional WA.

But a new Ride to School Free program will mean students in Perth who hold a valid SmartRider card will now also have free bus and train rides Monday to Friday.

Mr Cook has also announced free public transport on Sundays for every West Australian, following the Summer of Free Public Transport program which ends today (Sunday).

“Helping Western Australians with cost-of-living pressures is my government’s number one priority,” Mr Cook, pictured left, said.

“The cost of public transport for schoolkids adds up, and this measure alone can save families more than $500 each year. “

Currently, a one-way student fare is 70¢, meaning that for a single student who takes the bus or train to and from school every day that’s about $280 a school year.

The Ride to School Free program is the first cab off the rank in expected cost-of-living measures this year, with Mr Cook saying there is “more help on the way”.

In an interview with The Sunday Times late last year, Mr Cook said addressing cost-of-living hikes would be a key priority in 2024, not discounting further power credits or even freezing annual hikes in household fees and charges.

“Before Christmas, I said everything was on the table this year when it comes to cost-of-living relief for WA,” Mr Cook said.

“I’ve made clear to my team that I’ll consider any option that provides relief to WA households.

“This is our first new cost of living policy for 2024 — delivering real help for everyday WA families.

“And we’ll have more help on the way in the months to come.”

The Ride to School Free Program will commence on Monday, February 5 — the first full week of school after classes resume this Wednesday.

Fare free Sundays begins next Sunday.

Australia is in a cost-of-living crisis with everyday mums and dads in the crossfire. There have been 13 interest rate increases since May, 2022, with predictions the pain is not yet over and there could be further rises in 2024.

A severe shortage of social housing amid a rental crisis on a scale never experienced before in WA is making life tough for families.

The median house price in WA is already $590,000 while the median rent is $600 a week.

REIWA’s 2024 market forecast says both house prices and rent are likely to rise this year.

WA Treasury figures show yearly household fees and charges for a “representative” household are already $6690 — and that doesn’t include hikes to petrol and groceries.

Anglicare WA’s financial wellbeing collective took 1733 call to the Emergency Relief and Food Access Service in the first two weeks in December — a 52 per cent increase on the same time the year before.

In response to the cost of living crisis, Mr Albanese has reworked scheduled tax cuts to fund cost-of-living reprieve for an estimated 12.5 million lower and middle-income Australians.

In WA, the Labor Government has responded to cost-of-living hikes by providing two power bill credits since 2020 — a $600 credit in 2020 and a $400 credit last year.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, left, said making public transport free on Sundays for West Australians built on the “successful Summer of Free Public Transport” which ran from Christmas Eve to today.

“Cost-of-living pressures are impacting many West Australians, and the Summer of Free Public Transport is one of several initiatives implemented by our government to help provide relief,” Ms Saffioti said.

“The initiative has been a huge success, with more than 6.2 million boardings across the public transport network during the first four weeks, a significant increase on previous years.

“Because of the success of the Summer of Free Public Transport initiative, we will be keeping public transport free every Sunday and making travel free for school students, giving West Australians an affordable alternative to travel around Perth.”