❓ Mr Catania raises concerns about worker accommodation shortages in northern WA towns. The Minister acknowledges housing pressures, highlights government initiatives and criticises the previous government's handling of similar projects.
AnsweredQoN 388Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WORKER ACCOMMODATION — REGIONS
388. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the dire shortage of
workers' accommodation in towns in the north of the state, leaving
business owners so desperate that they are resorting to hosting workers in
their own homes and local governments are forced to deliver their own solutions
to fix the mess.
(1) Given it has been five months since the election
commitment to accelerate the process to facilitate new workers'
accommodation facilities in Exmouth and Kalbarri, has the minister commenced
the expression-of-interest process for local builders?
(2) Will the
minister give Broome business owners a commitment to address the dire shortage
of workers' accommodation in the community?
388. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the dire shortage of
workers' accommodation in towns in the north of the state, leaving
business owners so desperate that they are resorting to hosting workers in
their own homes and local governments are forced to deliver their own solutions
to fix the mess.
(1) Given it has been five months since the election
commitment to accelerate the process to facilitate new workers'
accommodation facilities in Exmouth and Kalbarri, has the minister commenced
the expression-of-interest process for local builders?
(2) Will the
minister give Broome business owners a commitment to address the dire shortage
of workers' accommodation in the community?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. I am acutely
aware of the housing pressures across Western Australia. We have said that
on the public record. But also we have introduced a range of measures for both
the metro area and the regions. Of course we broadly know this and the
statistics do not lie: there have been 27 000 building approvals in the last
financial year. That is an increase of more than 80 per cent. That is extraordinary and is the result of a very
deliberate policy by the state government, in combination with the federal government, to provide an incentive to boost industry. Bankwest Curtin
Economics Centre has clearly said—not the state—that there will
be 10 000 more rentals coming on across Western Australia. That will provide
rental relief across all markets.
The building approval success has
not been confined just to the metro area. In fact, across regional Western Australia we have seen increases of 190 per
cent. But we are not resting there. We have also sought to get more land
onto the market, because it is not just about housing supply, it is also about
land supply. The Minister for Lands in our first term introduced a $116 million
regional investment fund. There are currently about 700 discounted lots on the
market.
I, along with the Minister for
Lands and the Minister for Planning, met, for example, with the regional council alliance to look at other opportunities,
working with local government or through our agencies, to look at what other
land is available for potential redevelopment. I want to say this: Nationals WA
members hold their heads high on workers' accommodation, but we only
have to remember Osprey and the inquiry that found that that whole project was
$95 million more than was estimated or put forward in the first case .
What an extraordinary situation. This is their history of financial management.
This is their history of delivery. I will
not be lectured by the member for North West Central. We have very clearly
developed and delivered a robust strategy that is fuelling a large
number of houses in both metro and regional areas.
aware of the housing pressures across Western Australia. We have said that
on the public record. But also we have introduced a range of measures for both
the metro area and the regions. Of course we broadly know this and the
statistics do not lie: there have been 27 000 building approvals in the last
financial year. That is an increase of more than 80 per cent. That is extraordinary and is the result of a very
deliberate policy by the state government, in combination with the federal government, to provide an incentive to boost industry. Bankwest Curtin
Economics Centre has clearly said—not the state—that there will
be 10 000 more rentals coming on across Western Australia. That will provide
rental relief across all markets.
The building approval success has
not been confined just to the metro area. In fact, across regional Western Australia we have seen increases of 190 per
cent. But we are not resting there. We have also sought to get more land
onto the market, because it is not just about housing supply, it is also about
land supply. The Minister for Lands in our first term introduced a $116 million
regional investment fund. There are currently about 700 discounted lots on the
market.
I, along with the Minister for
Lands and the Minister for Planning, met, for example, with the regional council alliance to look at other opportunities,
working with local government or through our agencies, to look at what other
land is available for potential redevelopment. I want to say this: Nationals WA
members hold their heads high on workers' accommodation, but we only
have to remember Osprey and the inquiry that found that that whole project was
$95 million more than was estimated or put forward in the first case .
What an extraordinary situation. This is their history of financial management.
This is their history of delivery. I will
not be lectured by the member for North West Central. We have very clearly
developed and delivered a robust strategy that is fuelling a large
number of houses in both metro and regional areas.
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