Help & Frequently Asked Questions

📧 Need Immediate Assistance?

Contact the WALGA RAE Portal support team:

Email: infrastructure@walga.asn.au

Phone: (08) 9213 2000

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM AWST

Getting Started

Q: How do I access the RAE Portal?
A: On the login page, enter the council username (e.g. Albany_RAE) and password issued by WALGA, then click "Sign In". Credentials are sent to your council via the annual data collection email.
Q: I can't sign in or don't have an account. What should I do?
A: Your council username must be registered in the RAE Portal by WALGA. If you don't have access, have lost your password, or are getting an error, contact the WALGA Roads team at infrastructure@walga.asn.au to have your account set up, reset, or reactivated.

Submission Structure

Q: What are the sections of the RAE return?
A: The submission is organised into the following sections:
  1. Cover Sheet — Council details, contact information, and grant details
  2. Sheet 1: Expenditure — Source of funds and road expenditure by category
  3. Sheet 2: Additional Info — Other grants and supplementary details
  4. Sheet 3: Works Program — Individual road works projects with costs and locations
  5. Sheet 4: Reconciliation — Sheet 1 vs Sheet 3 variance check and financial balance (opening balance + income - expenditure = closing balance)
  6. Sheet 5: Recycled Materials — Usage of recycled materials in road works
  7. Sheet 6: Active Transport Infrastructure — Path infrastructure across four categories (Unpaved, Paved Shared, Marked Shared, Separated), with length, new construction, renewal and construction expenditure
  8. Review & Submit — Validation summary, completion checklist, and final submission

Submission Process

Q: What is the submission deadline?
A: The collection period is loading…. Submissions must be completed and submitted by loading… at 11:59 PM AWST.
Q: What financial year does this submission cover?
A: This submission covers the loading… financial year (loading…).
Q: How long does it take to complete a submission?
A: The time varies by council size:
  • Small councils: 30-45 minutes
  • Medium councils: 1-2 hours
  • Large councils: 2-3 hours
Q: Can I save my progress and return later?
A: Yes! The portal automatically saves your progress every 60 seconds. You can also click "Save Draft" at any time. Your data is securely stored and you can return to continue your submission at any time before the deadline.
Q: Can I edit my submission after submitting?
A: Once submitted, your submission enters the review process. If you need to make changes, please contact the WALGA Roads team at infrastructure@walga.asn.au and a reviewer can return it to you for edits.
Q: What happens after I submit?
A: After submission, the WALGA team will review your return. You will receive email notifications as the status changes. The possible statuses are:
  • Submitted — Received and awaiting review
  • In Review — Currently being assessed by WALGA
  • Returned — Sent back for corrections (you will be notified of what to fix)
  • Approved — Accepted and finalised

Data Entry

Q: What data do I need to prepare before starting?
A: You'll need:
  1. Federal and State grant amounts — allocated and spent (R2R, AGRN, FA Grant, direct grants)
  2. Road expenditure by category (construction, reconstruction, sealed/unsealed maintenance, bridges, etc.)
  3. Individual road works project details (project names, road names, costs, lengths)
  4. Income figures for the financial reconciliation (council rates contribution, other income)
  5. Recycled materials usage data (if applicable)

Note: Prior year data and opening balances are pre-populated where available — you do not need to enter these yourself.

Q: Why do some totals not match after I enter data?
A: The portal automatically calculates totals and performs cross-sheet validations. If totals don't match, check:
  • On Sheet 1, X1 (Total Funds Spent) must equal X2 (Total Expenditure) — a banner shows the status
  • On Sheet 4, Sheet 1 financial totals are compared with Sheet 3 works totals by road category
  • Sheet 4 closing balance must reconcile (Opening + Income - Expenditure)
  • The Review & Submit page shows all validation issues across all sheets
Red warning messages will guide you to any discrepancies.

Technical Issues

Q: The page isn't loading or I see an error. What should I do?
A: Try these steps:
  1. Refresh the page (F5 or Ctrl+R)
  2. Clear your browser cache and cookies
  3. Try a different browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox recommended)
  4. Check your internet connection
  5. If the problem persists, contact support with a screenshot of the error
Q: Which browsers are supported?
A: The RAE Portal supports modern browsers:
  • Google Chrome (recommended)
  • Microsoft Edge (recommended)
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Safari (macOS)

Security & Privacy

Q: Is my data secure?
A: Yes. The RAE Portal uses:
  • Council username and password authentication, issued individually by WALGA
  • HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
  • Microsoft Fabric for secure data storage
  • Role-based access control
Only authorized personnel from your council and WALGA can access your submission.

Still Have Questions?

For additional assistance, please contact:
Email: infrastructure@walga.asn.au
Phone: (08) 9213 2000