❓ The Minister for Lands outlines government initiatives to boost housing supply and economic activity in Perth CBD, highlighting new developments and criticising the opposition's stance on housing density.
AnsweredQoN 828Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CBD — HOUSING PROJECTS
828. Dr K. STRATTON to the Minister for Lands:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's continued revitalisation of the Perth CBD.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government is enabling new developments
in the CBD for housing, commercial and community facilities?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how these developments will drive thousands of new
residents, students and visitors to the area?
828. Dr K. STRATTON to the Minister for Lands:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's continued revitalisation of the Perth CBD.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government is enabling new developments
in the CBD for housing, commercial and community facilities?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how these developments will drive thousands of new
residents, students and visitors to the area?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for her question. As a government, we are doing everything we
can to boost housing supply in Western Australia. We also understand that a critical
part is actually boosting housing within the CBD because we understand that to
drive vibrancy, activity—particularly economic activity—in the
city, we need foot traffic day and night. We can look to see that our
government is leading the renewal of Perth. While the City of Perth does some
window dressing and second-rate drone shows, our state government is doing
major infrastructure projects that are changing the face of the city: the Edith
Cowan University campus, the primary school and now major new housing developments.
On the weekend, we announced that
three remaining lots have now been allocated to key proponents. The first is
Oceania Capital group. It will build a 32-storey build-to-rent residential
tower with 200 dwellings. Residents will be living in the heart of the city. It
is high density. It will also be building a hotel. We also have Erben Place,
which will build student accommodation, with 19 storeys to cater for 1 100
students. Imagine it. At night, ECU city campus will be pumping with 300 WAAPA
performances a year, and on top of that, an additional 1 100 students will be
living in the heart of the city. Of course, they are not isolated examples. I am
the state member for Perth and we are proudly seeing other key housing projects
in our electorate that are high-density, affordable and social build-to-rent.
Of course, we have Pier Street, with 29 storeys.
That will deliver 50 per cent social and affordable rentals, and that will be
219 apartments . We also have Smith
Street in my electorate. It will be four storeys, with 109 apartments, 78 of
which will be social housing. I want to be clear on this: our community,
the state seat of Perth, is embracing high-density housing.
Look
at the other side. Members opposite do not want social housing in their
electorates; they made that clear in the past. They are also actively
opposing housing development. My electorate is carrying high-density projects, particularly around social and affordable
housing, and the other side opposes it.
I had a conversation with the Liberal
candidate for Cottesloe, Sandra Brewer. She claimed that she is being misquoted
about her opposition to housing developments. It is interesting. I have her
Facebook post here. I will read the first sentence. I am not misquoting it. It
states —
Another high-rise proposal in our
suburbs demonstrates what's wrong with our planning and development
system.
I do not know how that is a misquote;
it is very explicit. The irony is that she is opposing that housing
development. It is on Station Street, which might give members a clear idea of
where it is located. It is a transit-oriented development within a few minutes
of a train station. Every urban planning principle says, ''That's
a good idea'', but this is where we see the absurdity of Liberal housing
policy. The Liberals are opposing that development, but then they are creating
a new apartment rebate fund, under which that development would be eligible for
$2.5 million to help it get across the line to build 125 apartments. This is
the absurdity of the Liberal Party. On the one hand, it has candidates
everywhere opposing density development,
but, on the other hand, it is saying, ''To help those projects get over
the line, we are going to give them millions and millions of dollars.''
This is the absurdity of the Liberals. We do not know where they stand on
housing policy.
Ms L. Mettam : The UDIA did!
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is an absurdity. I will take that
interjection. What is fascinating about the debate on Friday, other than the
fact that the Liberal spokesperson was pressed three times on planning policy
and refused to do it, is that —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : I know you
are getting agitated. Secondly, what was interesting was this. The vote at that
function continued well after the debate finished. What was interesting was I am
advised that Liberal staffers were sending the voting link out to everyone to
vote on it. Also interestingly, Hon Steve Martin admitted that he bought six
tables. I suspect that the numbers were a little bit against me, and I am
devastated! But the telling thing at that debate, and I am very happy to put
this on the record, is that three times, Hon Steve Martin was pressed on
planning policies. Three times, he could not articulate a position. We know
that the Liberal Party is all over the place when it comes to housing and
planning policy in Western Australia.
thank the member for her question. As a government, we are doing everything we
can to boost housing supply in Western Australia. We also understand that a critical
part is actually boosting housing within the CBD because we understand that to
drive vibrancy, activity—particularly economic activity—in the
city, we need foot traffic day and night. We can look to see that our
government is leading the renewal of Perth. While the City of Perth does some
window dressing and second-rate drone shows, our state government is doing
major infrastructure projects that are changing the face of the city: the Edith
Cowan University campus, the primary school and now major new housing developments.
On the weekend, we announced that
three remaining lots have now been allocated to key proponents. The first is
Oceania Capital group. It will build a 32-storey build-to-rent residential
tower with 200 dwellings. Residents will be living in the heart of the city. It
is high density. It will also be building a hotel. We also have Erben Place,
which will build student accommodation, with 19 storeys to cater for 1 100
students. Imagine it. At night, ECU city campus will be pumping with 300 WAAPA
performances a year, and on top of that, an additional 1 100 students will be
living in the heart of the city. Of course, they are not isolated examples. I am
the state member for Perth and we are proudly seeing other key housing projects
in our electorate that are high-density, affordable and social build-to-rent.
Of course, we have Pier Street, with 29 storeys.
That will deliver 50 per cent social and affordable rentals, and that will be
219 apartments . We also have Smith
Street in my electorate. It will be four storeys, with 109 apartments, 78 of
which will be social housing. I want to be clear on this: our community,
the state seat of Perth, is embracing high-density housing.
Look
at the other side. Members opposite do not want social housing in their
electorates; they made that clear in the past. They are also actively
opposing housing development. My electorate is carrying high-density projects, particularly around social and affordable
housing, and the other side opposes it.
I had a conversation with the Liberal
candidate for Cottesloe, Sandra Brewer. She claimed that she is being misquoted
about her opposition to housing developments. It is interesting. I have her
Facebook post here. I will read the first sentence. I am not misquoting it. It
states —
Another high-rise proposal in our
suburbs demonstrates what's wrong with our planning and development
system.
I do not know how that is a misquote;
it is very explicit. The irony is that she is opposing that housing
development. It is on Station Street, which might give members a clear idea of
where it is located. It is a transit-oriented development within a few minutes
of a train station. Every urban planning principle says, ''That's
a good idea'', but this is where we see the absurdity of Liberal housing
policy. The Liberals are opposing that development, but then they are creating
a new apartment rebate fund, under which that development would be eligible for
$2.5 million to help it get across the line to build 125 apartments. This is
the absurdity of the Liberal Party. On the one hand, it has candidates
everywhere opposing density development,
but, on the other hand, it is saying, ''To help those projects get over
the line, we are going to give them millions and millions of dollars.''
This is the absurdity of the Liberals. We do not know where they stand on
housing policy.
Ms L. Mettam : The UDIA did!
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is an absurdity. I will take that
interjection. What is fascinating about the debate on Friday, other than the
fact that the Liberal spokesperson was pressed three times on planning policy
and refused to do it, is that —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : I know you
are getting agitated. Secondly, what was interesting was this. The vote at that
function continued well after the debate finished. What was interesting was I am
advised that Liberal staffers were sending the voting link out to everyone to
vote on it. Also interestingly, Hon Steve Martin admitted that he bought six
tables. I suspect that the numbers were a little bit against me, and I am
devastated! But the telling thing at that debate, and I am very happy to put
this on the record, is that three times, Hon Steve Martin was pressed on
planning policies. Three times, he could not articulate a position. We know
that the Liberal Party is all over the place when it comes to housing and
planning policy in Western Australia.
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