Western Australia sees poverty rise to 15% as opposition questions government response

According to the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre's 2026 Poverty Snapshot, 15.1% of Western Australians - about 456,000 people, almost 99,000 of them children - are now living in poverty, up from 11.8% in 2021. Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the hardship and pointed to a range of cost-of-living supports covering public transport, school fees and fuel, urging cooperation across government levels. Opposition leader Basil Zempilas countered that the high poverty rate shows the state's measures are failing, calling for a focus on housing, health and policing concerns.

Professor Alan Duncan of the centre stressed that poverty is not only about income thresholds but also about the gap between earnings and essential costs, especially housing. Anglicare WA chief executive Mark Glasson warned that soaring rents have pushed more than a quarter of private renters into poverty, emphasizing the need for safe, affordable homes.