❓ Mr. L'Estrange questions the Premier about mortgage stress due to increased fees and charges. The Premier defends the government's record, citing lower increases compared to the previous government and responsible budget management.
AnsweredQoN 750Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY —
MORTGAGE STRESS
750. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Mortgage stress is real, and the government has increased fees and charges more than five times the rate of inflation. What
is the Premier going to do to ease the cost-of-living pressures on households so that they can pay their mortgages?
MORTGAGE STRESS
750. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Mortgage stress is real, and the government has increased fees and charges more than five times the rate of inflation. What
is the Premier going to do to ease the cost-of-living pressures on households so that they can pay their mortgages?
AnswerView source ↗
We handed down our budget in May
with the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years—significantly
lower than at any time the opposition was in office. Members opposite seem to
have some form of amnesia. They do not seem to remember what they did. If they
recall their first three years in office, they will see that they put up fees
and charges by more than double what we have in our first three years in
office. They do not seem to acknowledge that, but that is what happened. This
was at a time when the previous government had record revenues coming in. It
managed to drive up debt to levels never before imagined or experienced in Western
Australia, and provide us with the biggest deficit in the history of the state
by miles and it managed to put up fees and charges by the highest percentages
that anyone has ever seen in this state; now members opposite come in here and
complain about their legacy! On the other hand, the previous government
increased land tax on householders as a deliberate strategy to drive down
equity in houses and drive down house prices. That is what they said. That is
the legacy that we have to deal with.
What have we done? We have made the
lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years. Obviously, we would like to do more, but we also have to be responsible
with our budget management. I think people across Western Australia realise—certainly people I meet, including Liberal Party supporters—and
are very complimentary that we have a government in Western Australia that is responsible
with the public finances.
The SPEAKER : Members, I would
just like to call the Minister for Sport and Recreation. We put a new hearing
thing in there for him, and he has his phone going off at the same time. I call
him to order for the first time.
with the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years—significantly
lower than at any time the opposition was in office. Members opposite seem to
have some form of amnesia. They do not seem to remember what they did. If they
recall their first three years in office, they will see that they put up fees
and charges by more than double what we have in our first three years in
office. They do not seem to acknowledge that, but that is what happened. This
was at a time when the previous government had record revenues coming in. It
managed to drive up debt to levels never before imagined or experienced in Western
Australia, and provide us with the biggest deficit in the history of the state
by miles and it managed to put up fees and charges by the highest percentages
that anyone has ever seen in this state; now members opposite come in here and
complain about their legacy! On the other hand, the previous government
increased land tax on householders as a deliberate strategy to drive down
equity in houses and drive down house prices. That is what they said. That is
the legacy that we have to deal with.
What have we done? We have made the
lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years. Obviously, we would like to do more, but we also have to be responsible
with our budget management. I think people across Western Australia realise—certainly people I meet, including Liberal Party supporters—and
are very complimentary that we have a government in Western Australia that is responsible
with the public finances.
The SPEAKER : Members, I would
just like to call the Minister for Sport and Recreation. We put a new hearing
thing in there for him, and he has his phone going off at the same time. I call
him to order for the first time.
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