Spending and results, side by side

More money does not always mean worse results, and a result can get worse for reasons outside a department's control, such as population growth or COVID. This page puts the spending and the results side by side so readers can judge. Spending figures are adjusted for inflation by the Productivity Commission. The years shown are those with consistent published data.

Public housing

Fact: The yearly running cost of WA public housing rose from about $548 million in 2016-17 to about $810 million in 2024-25, in 2024-25 dollars. That is a rise of about 48%. Over the same period the number of public housing dwellings grew from 32,691 to 34,569. Applicants on the public housing waiting list rose from 17,207 at 30 June 2021 to 22,409 at 30 June 2025. Applicants classed as new greatest-need applicants rose from 3,336 to 7,382.

Chart: WA public housing running costs rose from about $548m to $810m while the waiting list grew from 17,207 to 22,409.

The running cost is the cost per dwelling multiplied by the number of dwellings, and excludes capital costs. Source: Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services (ROGS) 2026, tables 18A.5 and 18A.50

Public hospitals

Fact: Spending on WA public hospitals rose from $9.89 billion in 2016-17 to $12.41 billion in 2023-24, in 2023-24 dollars. That is a rise of 26%. The share of emergency department patients who left within four hours fell from 73.8% in 2016-17 to 53.9% in 2024-25. Over that time, emergency department presentations rose by 23%.

Chart: WA public hospital spending rose 26% while the share of ED patients seen and out within four hours fell from 73.8% to 53.9%.

Source: ROGS 2026, tables 12A.1 and 12A.18

Child protection

Fact: Spending on child protection and out-of-home care in WA rose from $553 million in 2016-17 to $1.01 billion in 2024-25, in 2024-25 dollars. That is a rise of 82%.

Over the same period:

The share of children in care who were the subject of a substantiated report of abuse or neglect rose from 1.7% to 3.2%.
The number of children in out-of-home care was 4,754 at 30 June 2019 and 4,716 at 30 June 2025.
One measure improved. The share of children who were the subject of another substantiated report within 12 months fell from 19.5% (2016-17) to 16.9% (2023-24).

Chart: WA child protection spending rose from $553m to $1.01bn while the share of children in care subject of a substantiated harm report rose from 1.7% to 3.2%.

Source: ROGS 2026, tables 16A.2, 16A.10, 16A.16 and 16A.41

Prisons and community corrections

Fact: Spending on WA prisons and community corrections rose from $793 million in 2016-17 to $982 million in 2024-25, in 2024-25 dollars. That is a rise of 24%. The share of released adults back in prison with a new sentence within two years was 37.8% in 2016-17. It fell to 30.8% in 2021-22, was 30.8% again in 2023-24, and rose to 36.2% in 2024-25, still below the national 44.5%. The daily average prison population grew from about 6,390 in 2021-22 to about 8,080 in 2024-25 (open plus secure custody).

Chart: WA corrections spending rose 24% while the two-year return-to-prison rate went from 37.8% to 36.2%, with a low of 30.8%.

Source: ROGS 2026, corrective services tables 8A.2 and 8A.4 and ROGS 2026, justice overview table CA.4

Public schools

Fact: Total government spending on WA public schools rose from $6.39 billion in 2016-17 to $7.43 billion in 2023-24, in 2023-24 dollars (including the cost of capital). That is a rise of 16%. By our estimate from the same tables, enrolments rose by about 10% over the same period. Attendance in Years 1 to 10 fell from 91.1% in 2016 to 86.9% in 2025, below the national 87.6%. Attendance also fell nationally after COVID.

Chart: WA public school spending rose 16% in 2023-24 dollars while attendance fell from 91.1% to 86.9%.

Source: ROGS 2026, tables 4A.1 and 4A.17

What the record does not show

These figures show what was spent and what happened. They do not prove that the spending caused the result, or that less spending would have done better.