Did you know?
An estimated 320,000 unpaid carers in Western Australia provide essential care to loved ones, saving the WA state government $6.9 billion annually.
What a Carer Card would mean for WA carers:
*A carer is someone providing support to a family member or friend such as their child, partner, parent or sibling with disability, a chronic medical condition, frail due to age, physical or mental health challenges.
WA Carer Card Campaign
Last year, Carers WA launched a campaign advocating for the establishment of a Carer Card Program in WA.
This campaign generated:
✅ Over 5,100 petition signatures
✅ More than 1,200 emails sent to local MPs
✅ 46 Organisation Letters of Support
✅ Formal endorsements from the WA Greens Party and WA Liberal Party
✅ A recommendation for the Carer Card in the Bankwest and Curtin Economics Centre report “A Balancing Act: Life, Work and Connection in the Middle Years.”
What’s next?
✅ A scheduled meeting with the Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC, Minister for the Environment; Community Services; and Homelessness, in June to present the outcomes of the campaign and discuss next steps towards hopefully making a WA Carer Card a reality.
✅ Ongoing meetings with Ministers, Members of Parliament, and stakeholders.
We’ll keep you updated as we continue this journey.
“Carers provide invaluable support, yet often go unrecognised. The establishment of a Carer Card in WA is a vital step towards acknowledging their contribution, supporting their wellbeing and aligning with other states and territories. I urge everyone to sign the petition and/or email their local MP, and help us secure the recognition and support carers deserve.” – Richard Newman, CEO, Carers WA
Carers WA respectfully acknowledge that we work on Aboriginal land and pay our respects to community members and elders, past and present. Individuals pictured are models and are used for illustrative purposes only. Carers WA is committed to understanding, embracing and celebrating the rich and multi-dimensional experiences that shape our lives and aims to ensure that everyone who engages with the organisation feels welcome and included. Carers WA welcomes all people irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Carers WA acknowledges the Wadjuk Noongar Nation’s lands, water, customs, and culture of which the Carers WA Head Office is located. Carers WA recognises our services reach beyond the Perth (Boorloo) region, and so we also acknowledge the cultural diversity of First Nations Peoples across our state and throughout Australia.
Carers WA has qualified for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s Registered Charity Tick, enabling the public to easily identify our organisation as a registered charity and confirming that we are both transparent and accountable.
