The Western Australian Government has released its 2025–26 State Budget, and it’s filled with wins for workforce development and battery installation work – both key priorities for the electrical industry.

Key investments announced in the State Budget include:

• $337 million for the State’s Residential Battery Scheme – Complementing the Federal Government’s battery subsidy, this investment will help around 100,000 households access energy storage, delivering ongoing cost-of-living relief.  Households earning under $210,000 will also be eligible for no-interest loans, helping reduce upfront costs.
• $25 million to boost construction apprenticeships – Increasing subsidised construction trade apprentice numbers to 1,000 through a Group Training Organisation (GTO) wage subsidy.
• $22 million for more fee-free TAFE courses – Expanding access to training in the housing and construction sectors.
• $12 million to extend migration support – Continuing the Construction Visa Subsidy Program and the Build a Life in WA Program, creating 1,100 new skilled migration places.
• $100 million to maintain low-fee and fee-free TAFE courses – Making training more accessible across key trades.
• $75 million to support apprenticeships and traineeships – Delivered through the Construction Training Fund to encourage more skilled workers.
• $8 million to support mature-aged apprentices – Helping employers take on experienced workers looking to retrain.
• $34 million for modern TAFE equipment – Ensuring students have access to up-to-date tools and facilities.

MEA is particularly pleased to see the Government’s investment in the Residential Battery Scheme – an initiative we strongly advocated for during the election campaign. This commitment will not only help consumers but also drive demand for skilled electrical work across the state.

We also welcome the budget’s strong focus on workforce development. Addressing the skills shortage remains a top priority for MEA, and these measures represent a positive step forward in alleviating supply constraints across the industry.

You can read more about MEA’s policies on workforce development here.

MEA continues to advocate for the electrical industry on a range of issues including small business support and workforce mobility through nationally harmonised occupational licensing.

For more details on the 2025 WA State Budget, click here.