❓ A question regarding the Liberal-National government's contribution to the development of Karratha, focusing on improvements in housing, cost of living, and public services due to the Royalties for Regions program.
AnsweredQoN 306Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KARRATHA — DEVELOPMENT
306. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the
Minister for Regional Development:
The past four years has seen a remarkable transformation in
what is now my home town of Karratha. Can the minister please explain how the
Liberal–National government has contributed to the development of
Karratha as a true city of the north?
306. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the
Minister for Regional Development:
The past four years has seen a remarkable transformation in
what is now my home town of Karratha. Can the minister please explain how the
Liberal–National government has contributed to the development of
Karratha as a true city of the north?
AnswerView source ↗
It gives me great pleasure to respond to the member for
Pilbara's question. Indeed, he is now resident in the town of Karratha,
which hopefully is soon to be the city of Karratha or Roebourne or whatever the
decision on the name is. I think the Minister for Local Government is
considering the application of the Shire of Roebourne for city status as we
speak. That the member for Pilbara lives in Karratha with his family is the
greatest endorsement of what this government has done to grow and develop
regional Western Australia.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Member for Bassendean, we know that the Liberal–National government's
royalties for regions program is making a significant difference in regional
Western Australia. To transform regional Western Australia to ensure that
people want to live, work and invest in the regions is a great objective. For a
state that is quite centralist in nature, I think, as a central government
policy, that this Liberal–National government is making a huge
difference. There are no excuses on the government side of the house for not
having made a significant investment in the Pilbara, and quite rightly it is
the economic powerhouse of the nation. When members look at the investment that
this government, in concert with industry, has made in Karratha, Roebourne and
a lot of the communities in that area, they will see the substantial difference
it has made. In previous years, some of those communities have not been the
most attractive areas to live in, and therefore these investments are entirely
appropriate. People decided not to live in those communities because of the
lack of quality services provided to schools and health care and for
recreational facilities, and because of the relatively high cost of living and
a number of other reasons.
We have invested over a billion dollars in the Pilbara
through the royalties for regions program, which means that more land is
available for houses and apartments. Fancy that—apartments! In the past
we would not have been talking about apartments in the north, which is another
sign of the level of development up there. Karratha has a new high school,
there have been upgrades to the existing hospital and a new hospital is on its
way. There is also the recreational centre, which is probably one of the best
in the state, member for Pilbara. We are supporting the activities in which
people want to engage in an area that can be fairly challenging, with the heat
making it quite inhospitable outside. Of course, the main street development,
when compared with what it was as recently as five or six years ago, is
significantly different.
Let us look at some of the recent indicators of the success
of this investment. Let us start with housing. The latest Pilbara housing and
land snapshot for last month showed that the average weekly rent had dropped
below $1 000 a week for the first time since 2007, which is a fantastic
indicator of what this government is doing to reduce housing costs in the part
of the state that is contributing to our economy and the national economy. As
far as the cost of living is concerned, the latest regional price index shows
that the cost of living in Karratha has gone down dramatically; it has gone
down 13 per cent in the Pilbara for not just housing, but also other goods and
services. The opposition blamed us for the increase, so will it give us the
acknowledgment for fixing the problem? That will be the challenge for the
opposition. Public school enrolments in the Shire of Roebourne have gone up six
per cent in the past year, which is another indicator —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Maylands, I call you to order for the first time. Minister, can you start
winding this up?
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Yes, Mr Speaker. That is another indicator —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you to order for the first
time, and member for Victoria Park, I call you for the third time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Enrolments in public schools have increased by six per cent, which is a
fantastic indicator that people are prepared to live in and shift to regional
Western Australia based on the investments of this government. This is one
example in which transformational changes in this state are occurring for the
better. There are many other examples around regional Western Australia. This
government, through its royalties for regions program, is making that
difference, and after only five years in government. The opposition has not
seen anything yet.
Pilbara's question. Indeed, he is now resident in the town of Karratha,
which hopefully is soon to be the city of Karratha or Roebourne or whatever the
decision on the name is. I think the Minister for Local Government is
considering the application of the Shire of Roebourne for city status as we
speak. That the member for Pilbara lives in Karratha with his family is the
greatest endorsement of what this government has done to grow and develop
regional Western Australia.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Member for Bassendean, we know that the Liberal–National government's
royalties for regions program is making a significant difference in regional
Western Australia. To transform regional Western Australia to ensure that
people want to live, work and invest in the regions is a great objective. For a
state that is quite centralist in nature, I think, as a central government
policy, that this Liberal–National government is making a huge
difference. There are no excuses on the government side of the house for not
having made a significant investment in the Pilbara, and quite rightly it is
the economic powerhouse of the nation. When members look at the investment that
this government, in concert with industry, has made in Karratha, Roebourne and
a lot of the communities in that area, they will see the substantial difference
it has made. In previous years, some of those communities have not been the
most attractive areas to live in, and therefore these investments are entirely
appropriate. People decided not to live in those communities because of the
lack of quality services provided to schools and health care and for
recreational facilities, and because of the relatively high cost of living and
a number of other reasons.
We have invested over a billion dollars in the Pilbara
through the royalties for regions program, which means that more land is
available for houses and apartments. Fancy that—apartments! In the past
we would not have been talking about apartments in the north, which is another
sign of the level of development up there. Karratha has a new high school,
there have been upgrades to the existing hospital and a new hospital is on its
way. There is also the recreational centre, which is probably one of the best
in the state, member for Pilbara. We are supporting the activities in which
people want to engage in an area that can be fairly challenging, with the heat
making it quite inhospitable outside. Of course, the main street development,
when compared with what it was as recently as five or six years ago, is
significantly different.
Let us look at some of the recent indicators of the success
of this investment. Let us start with housing. The latest Pilbara housing and
land snapshot for last month showed that the average weekly rent had dropped
below $1 000 a week for the first time since 2007, which is a fantastic
indicator of what this government is doing to reduce housing costs in the part
of the state that is contributing to our economy and the national economy. As
far as the cost of living is concerned, the latest regional price index shows
that the cost of living in Karratha has gone down dramatically; it has gone
down 13 per cent in the Pilbara for not just housing, but also other goods and
services. The opposition blamed us for the increase, so will it give us the
acknowledgment for fixing the problem? That will be the challenge for the
opposition. Public school enrolments in the Shire of Roebourne have gone up six
per cent in the past year, which is another indicator —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Maylands, I call you to order for the first time. Minister, can you start
winding this up?
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Yes, Mr Speaker. That is another indicator —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you to order for the first
time, and member for Victoria Park, I call you for the third time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Enrolments in public schools have increased by six per cent, which is a
fantastic indicator that people are prepared to live in and shift to regional
Western Australia based on the investments of this government. This is one
example in which transformational changes in this state are occurring for the
better. There are many other examples around regional Western Australia. This
government, through its royalties for regions program, is making that
difference, and after only five years in government. The opposition has not
seen anything yet.
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