❓ Opposition Leader questions the Minister for Planning about budget cuts within the Department of Planning, potential job losses, and the impact on planning approvals and affordable housing. The Minister denies job cuts and attributes housing issues to market forces, not government actions.
AnsweredQoN 645Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT
OF PLANNING — BUDGETARY IMPACTS
645. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the comments by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Department of Planning, Mr Kevin Wilson, in estimates that the budget savings
to be made by the department are ''frightening''; and
revelations, also in estimates, by Mr Eric Lumsden that approximately 70
planning positions had not been filled and a further 70 would be cut, and that
this would be done ''with great difficulty''.
(1) Which positions have not been filled and which will be
cut?
(2) How many of these 140-plus
positions are planners?
(3) What further delays is the
situation likely to have on planning approvals?
(4) Will these
cuts see the release of affordable housing lots for Western Australian families
continue to plummet, from 18 000 under Labor to 11 000 under this government's
watch?
OF PLANNING — BUDGETARY IMPACTS
645. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the comments by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Department of Planning, Mr Kevin Wilson, in estimates that the budget savings
to be made by the department are ''frightening''; and
revelations, also in estimates, by Mr Eric Lumsden that approximately 70
planning positions had not been filled and a further 70 would be cut, and that
this would be done ''with great difficulty''.
(1) Which positions have not been filled and which will be
cut?
(2) How many of these 140-plus
positions are planners?
(3) What further delays is the
situation likely to have on planning approvals?
(4) Will these
cuts see the release of affordable housing lots for Western Australian families
continue to plummet, from 18 000 under Labor to 11 000 under this government's
watch?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) The short answer is, no, and in fact —
Mr M. McGowan : No
to what; it was a four-part question?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is the answer to the Leader of the Opposition's fourth question in
relation to the provision of affordable housing. In reality, there is a
substantial amount of land available for development in Western Australia.
There are no constraints as far as the state government, and particularly the
processes within the Department of Planning, is concerned. The constraints
relate to a reduced demand from the private sector and from potential home
buyers to buy land for houses to be constructed on. There is also a constraint
on the amount of finance available to the development industry, in some cases,
to get out there and undertake construction. They are not likely to undertake
construction, generally speaking, if the demand is not there to buy the product
that they create. That is the reality of what has happened in recent times. I
know that the Leader of the Opposition has tried to make great play of the fact
the number of titles issued in the last couple of years has been lower than it
was a few years ago —
Mr M. McGowan :
Significantly lower.
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
That is entirely due to the reasons I just gave. It is not due to any actions
or lack of actions by the state government; it simply reflects the state of the
market. If the Leader of the Opposition cannot understand that, he is certainly
nowhere near fit to lead a government in Western Australia.
In relation to the number of unfilled positions within the
Department of Planning, those positions have been unfilled for quite some time.
There are no positions actually being cut. There will not be any impact on the
amount of planning or the amount of subdivisional approvals issued by the
Department of Planning. As the Treasurer has indicated, the state faces quite
challenging —
Mr M. McGowan : Why
did they say that 70 will be cut, then?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : If
the Leader of the Opposition understands the process announced by the Treasurer
a couple of weeks ago, for the departments and agencies that have a higher
approved full-time equivalent level than their actual level, it is a matter of
those unfilled positions not being filled; it is not a matter of sacking people
who are there at the moment, and that is certainly not happening. As the
Treasurer has just pointed out, the state faces challenging financial circumstances
for reasons I do not need to go over again, and all agencies, including the
Department of Planning, have a role to play in trying to ensure that we live
within our means in the circumstances that face us.
Mr M. McGowan : No
to what; it was a four-part question?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is the answer to the Leader of the Opposition's fourth question in
relation to the provision of affordable housing. In reality, there is a
substantial amount of land available for development in Western Australia.
There are no constraints as far as the state government, and particularly the
processes within the Department of Planning, is concerned. The constraints
relate to a reduced demand from the private sector and from potential home
buyers to buy land for houses to be constructed on. There is also a constraint
on the amount of finance available to the development industry, in some cases,
to get out there and undertake construction. They are not likely to undertake
construction, generally speaking, if the demand is not there to buy the product
that they create. That is the reality of what has happened in recent times. I
know that the Leader of the Opposition has tried to make great play of the fact
the number of titles issued in the last couple of years has been lower than it
was a few years ago —
Mr M. McGowan :
Significantly lower.
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
That is entirely due to the reasons I just gave. It is not due to any actions
or lack of actions by the state government; it simply reflects the state of the
market. If the Leader of the Opposition cannot understand that, he is certainly
nowhere near fit to lead a government in Western Australia.
In relation to the number of unfilled positions within the
Department of Planning, those positions have been unfilled for quite some time.
There are no positions actually being cut. There will not be any impact on the
amount of planning or the amount of subdivisional approvals issued by the
Department of Planning. As the Treasurer has indicated, the state faces quite
challenging —
Mr M. McGowan : Why
did they say that 70 will be cut, then?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : If
the Leader of the Opposition understands the process announced by the Treasurer
a couple of weeks ago, for the departments and agencies that have a higher
approved full-time equivalent level than their actual level, it is a matter of
those unfilled positions not being filled; it is not a matter of sacking people
who are there at the moment, and that is certainly not happening. As the
Treasurer has just pointed out, the state faces challenging financial circumstances
for reasons I do not need to go over again, and all agencies, including the
Department of Planning, have a role to play in trying to ensure that we live
within our means in the circumstances that face us.
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