West Australian households are set to be slugged with higher fees and charges as the state government braces itself for an "unavoidable" budget deficit.
Before the mid-year economic review to be handed down next month, Premier Colin Barnett says there is little chance the state will stay in the black.
"I think it's almost impossible to achieve that," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"However, I think we can contain that to one year.
"And there will be some spreading of the burden. We've got no choice. We'll have to do that."
Mr Barnett also ruled out selling a utility to reduce the state's debt burden.
The government is already divesting land, port assets and WA's primary fruit and vegetable wholesale market in a bid to net $6 billion over three years.
South Australia, NSW and Queensland had gone too far with asset sales, the premier said.
"Look, we can fix debt overnight - we can sell off a utility but I'm not going to do that," he told ABC radio.
"Some of my colleagues think it would be a good idea to sell off one of the big utilities and, yeah, we might get $10 billion and we might halve our debt, but is that good for the long-term future of this state? No."
Mr Barnett also defended spending big on major projects, including the Elizabeth Quay development and new stadium.
"This state is not going to stand still and let the world go by. That was a commitment I made to myself when I first became premier."
He gave his government a seven out of 10 for its performance in the past year but conceded "people would probably say two".
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