The state Labor government has announced a $2.4 billion surplus in its 2026/27 budget, its eighth-straight set of books in the black.
Off the back of another bumper year for iron ore, it has also upgraded the current financial year's surplus to $3.5 billion, allowing for a suite of new measures.
Treasurer Rita Saffioti and Premier Roger Cook were keen to trumpet more than $1 billion in cost-of-living relief in Thursday's budget, including a new carers gold card, energy rebates, capped regional flight costs and free public transport initiatives.
While it's not the biggest line item in the budget, two payments are sure to be the most popular.
The state's 2.1 million motorists will get a $100 "fuel support payment" to offset rising costs, while mums and dads will continue to enjoy $250 for every secondary school student and $150 for every primary and kindergarten student.
Ms Saffioti said the payments would help Western Australians "weather the economic storm" including the fuel crisis.
"We will not be swept off course; this Budget will support Western Australians in navigating our way through the changing and unpredictable swell," she said.
WA's rude fiscal health included net debt of $34.5 billion this financial year, the lowest per capita in the nation.
Victoria, by contrast, is $176 billion in the red, as revealed in its budget on Tuesday.
Much of that is down to the state's biggest export: iron ore, which has enjoyed another bumper year both in price and volume, sending excise flowing into the state's coffers.
The state last benchmarked the price of a tonne of the red dirt at US$97, but has enjoyed a windfall given the average price over the last year soared to US$104.70 - well above conservative Treasury projections.
Much of the budget's surprise was revealed in previous weeks, as has become customary for cashed-up governments bearing gifts.
That included billion-dollar spend-ups in health infrastructure and housing, investments in clean energy projects and public transport.
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