Early-career police officers, firefighters, and emergency services personnel in Western Australia are receiving targeted support to enter the property market, with the state government expanding eligibility for Keystart’s Skilled Start Home Loan scheme.
The initiative offers low-deposit pathways and discounted interest rates to assist frontline responders who do not hold traditional TAFE or university degrees in securing their first home.
Under the expanded program, graduates from the WA Police Academy and the WA Fire and Emergency Services Academy who completed their training within the past five years are now eligible. The scheme also applies to recruits currently enrolled in those academies or holding equivalent Australian qualifications.
Launched in December, Skilled Start provides a low 2 per cent deposit requirement alongside a 100-basis-point discount on Keystart’s standard variable interest rate.
The loan structure aims to reduce upfront barriers and keep ongoing repayments manageable for new buyers. Optional financial coaching is also provided to help borrowers maintain long-term financial stability.
WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti said the initiative is part of the state’s commitment to supporting essential workers.
“Through Keystart, more early career frontline workers can access a Skilled Start Home Loan, and get into a home of their own with just a 2 per cent deposit and lower ongoing repayments,” Saffioti said.
Police Minister Reece Whitby noted that extending the initiative helps protect the future of local frontline teams, while Housing Minister John Carey highlighted its broader impact on housing accessibility.
Since its inception, Skilled Start has assisted more than 65 early-career Western Australians into home ownership, with dozens more applications undergoing processing.
Over the 2025–26 financial year, Keystart approved nearly 1,200 new home loans and helped over 2,600 people buy homes.
More than 75 per cent of these loans funded new residential builds, boosting local housing supply across the state.