- 2024-25 State Budget includes $13.2 million to help grow WA’s screen industry workforce and encourage digital games production
- $6.7 million expansion of Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund and Club Night Lights Program
- $5.9 million increase for arts organisations to invest in programs across WA
- $10.9 million for key maintenance at WA sporting venues
- $1.35 million to support Western Australian athletes heading to the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games
The 2024-25 State Budget will provide more than $237 million in new funding for sport and recreation and the arts, including boosts for Western Australia’s job-creating screen industry, and community sport and recreation facilities.
The Cook Labor Government’s strong commitment to build a screen industry in Western Australia – as part of its economic diversification plans – will be bolstered by a $13.2 million investment in a Screen Industry Workforce Development Plan and extension of the Digital Games and Interactive Fund run by Screenwest. This brings the Government’s total investment under the WA Screen Strategy to $31.9 million to date.
There is already growing demand for WA as a production location – with a total of 41 film, television, digital games, and post-digital and visual effects projects commencing in WA in 2023 – with this year shaping up to be even busier. Development of a skilled workforce will also be essential for the effective operation of the new $233.5 million screen production facility near Malaga, which is under construction and expected to be completed in 2026.
Community sport and recreation facilities throughout the State will benefit from a $6.7 million expansion of the successful Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund and Club Night Lights Program. This lifts the total amount allocated to these programs from $18.8 million to $25.5 million in 2024-25.
A further $10.9 million will be provided to deliver key maintenance at a range of WA sporting venues, while $5.1 million in funding will go towards refurbishments, upgrades and improved access arrangements at HBF Arena and HBF Stadium.
The WA Rugby Centre will benefit from almost $1 million in facility upgrades, including modifications to changerooms to ensure gender equal access.
In total, more than $53 million will go towards improvements, maintenance and planning at WA sport and recreation facilities.
WA’s biggest creative sector employers, such as Black Swan State Theatre Company, West Australian Ballet, WA Opera and West Australian Symphony Orchestra, will share in a $5.9 million funding uplift for arts organisations over 2024-25 and 2025-26.
As the world counts down to the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Cook Government is supporting WA athletes headed to France as part of Team Australia with $1.35 million in funding. Funding in the 2024-25 Budget includes:
- $333,250 via the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) for athlete qualification and performance optimisation initiatives involving athletes, coaches and support staff;
- $270,000 for direct payments to Western Australian athletes selected to the Australia team for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to assist with costs; and
- $750,000 to be distributed to the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Team Appeal, with $375,000 to go to the Australian Olympic Committee, and $375,000 to Paralympics Australia.
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As stated by Culture and the Arts and Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
“The Cook Government has delivered a winning State Budget, which raises the curtain on multimillion-dollar investment in arts organisations and our rapidly growing screen industry and games development sectors.
“We are supporting WA’s immersive technology companies and creatives to develop and release high-quality, diverse and engaging digital games, and expanding local screen industry skills and capacity to meet the growing demand for our State as a location for major productions.
“Employment creation and tourism and economy benefits mean show business is good business for WA.
“Bolstering the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund and Club Night Lights Program will support redevelopment and modernisation of venues to increase the number of users, with floodlights allowing for longer hours of use into the evenings.
“Both arts and sports are at the heart of how we connect as a community, allowing expression of self and improving physical and mental wellbeing. I am proud that the Cook Government is prioritising funding for these sectors.”
