WA banks another $3.2 billion in surplus - but would it be better off spent?

Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti announced a surplus of $3.2 billion in her first budget on Thursday. It's the sixth budget surplus Labor has recorded in a row, with a total of $23 billion banked since 2019.

Saffioti said the 2024-25 budget "ensures that the most vulnerable in our society are supported, no matter where they live across our great state," but as Western Australians face housing and cost of living crises, some say the government could do more.

The Last Place on Earth took to the pedestrian malls of Fremantle on Friday morning to find out what people thought of the budget.

Retiree Ken, who was visiting Fremantle from the country town of Waroona, said he'd like to see the government spend more on "homeless people and homes".

"We've got a lot disadvantaged people," he said. "There's a big difference between the rich and the poor. With that sort of money, I'd like to see it even out a bit."

An 84-year-old Noongar elder, who lives at St Pat's Community Support Centre housing in Fremantle and preferred to remain anonymous, said the state government could use their budget surplus to better support First Nations people.

"I saw their big money," she said. "Who does it go to?

"They should work us out first. We lived here for so many years, born and bred in this country, first peoples of this country, and we never touched our gold, oil, you name the things in the ground. We never touched it until they came out.

"The money came off our land. It's not right."

The woman's niece added: "I'd put it towards the wellbeing of people who are homeless. I'd make a big shelter."

The budget committed $92 million to boosting funding for homelessness services, and an additional $400 million into the government's expanded Social and Affordable Housing Investment Fund. Kath Snell, the CEO of Shelter WA, the peak body for community housing and homelessness sectors, said in a statement the budget delivered some significant measures in terms of housing "but on the whole could have done more to meet the scale and urgency of the crisis.”

Designer and Freo local Joseph told The Last Place on Earth he'd like the state government to spend more money on "public projects" including "public spaces, schools, and public transport."

"Around here, you'd say that the CAT [free bus service] going down was fairly badly received," he said. "It was always nice having the CAT going. That kind of thing that's nice for everyone is where I'd like to see the surplus go."

"If you're wanting to be saving it, I think you'd want to be putting together a pretty strong argument as to why you're saving that money, because the 'rainy day argument' when people feel it's already raining is not great."

Joseph welcomed the budget's $400 one-off electricity bill credits for homeowners and small business owners presented as cost-of-living relief.

"When there was previous relief, I didn't pay an electricity bill in like a year or something, because I don't think we go through a lot, so that felt good."