The money will go towards new hospitals, schools, electricity networks, water and drainage infrastructure, as well as road, rail and sea networks across Western Australia, and a $1.2 billion tax reform.

Water in the Goldfields-Esperance region will be a key focus of this year’s budget, with over $58 million being allocated for water supply infrastructure.

This money will go towards projects including an upgrade of over $1 million to the Esperance town water supply, $300,000 for stage two works of the Esperance Treated Waste Water Management program, $53,000 towards the construction of two new bores, and $47,000 for distribution upgrades.

Other major benefits to the Esperance region include an allocation of $1.9 million for minor works to the Esperance Port, and $1.6 million towards the completion of the collocation Fire and Emergency Services Authority facility on Brazier Street.

There was no money allocated in the budget for the cleanup of lead in Esperance, nor for the removal of lead from the Esperance Port.

The State government is committing $810 million to maintaining, improving and expanding the State and local road networks, including $757,000 will on various improvements to the South Coast Highway.

The Esperance-Goldfields region’s electricity infrastructure also received a boost of more than $14 million, which saw more than $3.3 million for distribution works in Esperance, over $2 million for a new Esperance depot, including feeder lines, more than $1 million to provide underground power in Esperance as part of the State underground power program and $871,000 for upgrades to the Esperance network.

A further $1.087 million will be spent to address network safety issues.

While the State Budget has addressed many capital works issues, it has come under fire from the agricultural industry, with funding for agriculture and food decreasing by about 13 per cent.

Nationals leader Brendon Grylls and Nationals member for the Agricultural region, Wendy Duncan, have both spoken out against the budget, saying it fails regional communities.

Mrs Duncan went on to say that the government seems more interested in Perth waterfront developments and entertainment centres than it is in providing decent health services, housing and schools in the regions.

“Eighty per cent of the $1 billion increase in the State revenue comes from mining royalties and yet the government has chosen to give priority to funding sexy Perth projects such as the sports stadium, the waterfront development a new arena and a new museum.”

Mrs Duncan said there were many disappointments in the budget.

“Where is the upgrade for the Esperance Residential College, which crams in over 100 boarders into a facility designed for 80, and where is the extra funding for the Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital to cover the increased cost of its upgrade due to repeated delays of the project?” she asked.

“As for agriculture, one wonders whether it exists in Western Australia, it draws so little support in the budget.”

Member for Roe, Dr Graham Jacobs, said that this year’s budget was a let-down for the region, and said the Esperance and Kalgoorlie hospitals were missing out on crucial funds.

He also said he was very disappointed that the Esperance Residential College (ERC) did not receive any funding.

“Once again Esperance misses out at the expense of Albany and Broome,” he said.

“The residential college is already bulging at the seams and it’s very disappointing to see that it did not receive any funding.”

The ERC has been unsuccessful in its bid to gain funding for the past three years, and is currently catering for many more students than it was originally designed for.

This year the ERC had put in a bid for $13 million to upgrade the college with new staff accommodation, a new front entrance, and 38 new single bedrooms for senior students. ERC head boy, Kieyll Norwood, and head girl, Ashleigh Newman said the living conditions made studying harder.

Ms Newman said she was disappointed that the college did not receive the funds, and said it put a lot of pressure on the students living there.

“We currently share six showers between 50 girls, and we have really poor water pressure. We have to have separate dinners because not everyone can fit into the dining room at the same time, and there is not much personal space.”