❓ Ms. Hamilton asks about the impact of the Cook Labor government's investment in social and affordable housing. The Minister for Housing responds by outlining the government's commitment and progress in delivering social homes and supporting vulnerable Western Australians, while also criticising the opposition's policies.
AnsweredQoN 313Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVESTMENT FUND
313. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record investment in housing and homelessness prevention initiatives.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is supporting the delivery of
nearly 5 000 additional social homes across Western Australia?
(2) Can the minister advise the
house how this investment is supporting vulnerable Western Australians?
313. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record investment in housing and homelessness prevention initiatives.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is supporting the delivery of
nearly 5 000 additional social homes across Western Australia?
(2) Can the minister advise the
house how this investment is supporting vulnerable Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for her question. We are deeply proud of this budget and the
very clear commitment to not only housing our most vulnerable, but also
providing that critical support to people doing it tough and who are at risk of
homelessness or who are homeless. In this budget, we made a very strong and
clear commitment—$1.1 billion, as the Treasurer and the Premier said,
for a range of initiatives, in particular, $400 million to create and expand
our social housing fund to a new social and affordable housing fund. This is important because we know that it is not
just about the state assisting the development of high density developments through social housing support, but
also through affordable housing support. This expanded fund is also
deeply critical if we are to leverage from the significant funding being made
at a federal level. Of course, this additional funding means that we have
revised our targets again. We will now deliver nearly 5 000 social homes. To
date, we have delivered more than 2 100, with another 1 000 under contract or
construction. Those numbers are quite extraordinary when we think that although
we are facing the toughest construction market in our state's history,
we have been already able to deliver on those numbers.
We
are also focused on the regions. In fact, we created a specific regional
community housing fund worth $50 million, recognising that we want to
grow the community housing sector. We are out there now asking a range of
community housing organisations to come forward with their proposals for
regional housing projects.
I
note that our housing budget has been very well received. Shelter WA welcomed the
significant investment in social and affordable housing initiatives.
Anglicare WA's Mark Glasson congratulated the government for this year's
budget. In fact, he said, ''It's the budget we've been
waiting a decade for.'' That is quite extraordinary. I probably do not
agree with that completely because of the previous record —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr
J.N. CAREY : The Leader of the
Opposition gets very angry. He is always agitated. He should have a cup of tea
and calm down. He will be okay. He will get through it. He gets red in the face
and agitated. I worry for him sometimes.
I have to disagree with Mark a bit
because of all our record social housing spends over the last few years. In
fact, we have provided an extra $3.2 billion in social housing and homelessness
funding since 2021–22.
Our side has a very clear plan for
housing but we could compare it to the other side. We have the highly agitated
Nationals WA whose only policy to date is to increase red tape and make it
harder to deliver community housing and workers' accommodation in
regional communities. We should be very clear: it is committed to that policy
and more red tape with the development assessment panel system. I will be in
every regional community reminding builders who are worried about projects that
the Nationals want to make it harder.
Then
we have the WA Liberal Party, which has no policies at all. I heard the comment
made by the Leader of the Liberal Party. She said, ''We're
making it clearer every day. Puberty blockers and Coachella music festivals:
they're the priorities for Western Australians.''
Do members know what? I was at an
event of industry builders over the weekend and they said, ''John, we
keep getting calls from the opposition asking for policies.''
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : I was like, ''That's
how desperate that side has got.''
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The Leader of
the Liberal Party is getting very agitated.
Ms L. Mettam : How's
your delivery going?
Mr J.N. CAREY : I know that
the Leader of the Liberal Party's priority is Coachella.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is
interesting that I have clearly struck a nerve. I know she wants to go dancing
with the Liberal candidate for Churchlands. Go to Fred Again. That is a priority
for the member. While Liberal candidates are putting out ridiculous policies
that do not represent —
Ms L. Mettam : You're
a failed housing minister.
Mr J.N. CAREY : She is very
embarrassed. I have never seen someone get so agitated every time I mention the
Liberal candidate for Churchlands. It is weird. She gets very highly agitated
and very worried as if someone wants her job.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister! There is too much noise. I am rather hopeful that the minister's
answer is nearly at a conclusion.
Mr
J.N. CAREY : Thank you, Madam
Speaker. The point I am making is that despite the Liberal leader's
protests that she is making it clearer every day, it is quite apparent
that that side has no housing policies when it is compared with the significant
investment and the number of reforms that we are doing to boost housing supply
in Western Australia.
thank the member for her question. We are deeply proud of this budget and the
very clear commitment to not only housing our most vulnerable, but also
providing that critical support to people doing it tough and who are at risk of
homelessness or who are homeless. In this budget, we made a very strong and
clear commitment—$1.1 billion, as the Treasurer and the Premier said,
for a range of initiatives, in particular, $400 million to create and expand
our social housing fund to a new social and affordable housing fund. This is important because we know that it is not
just about the state assisting the development of high density developments through social housing support, but
also through affordable housing support. This expanded fund is also
deeply critical if we are to leverage from the significant funding being made
at a federal level. Of course, this additional funding means that we have
revised our targets again. We will now deliver nearly 5 000 social homes. To
date, we have delivered more than 2 100, with another 1 000 under contract or
construction. Those numbers are quite extraordinary when we think that although
we are facing the toughest construction market in our state's history,
we have been already able to deliver on those numbers.
We
are also focused on the regions. In fact, we created a specific regional
community housing fund worth $50 million, recognising that we want to
grow the community housing sector. We are out there now asking a range of
community housing organisations to come forward with their proposals for
regional housing projects.
I
note that our housing budget has been very well received. Shelter WA welcomed the
significant investment in social and affordable housing initiatives.
Anglicare WA's Mark Glasson congratulated the government for this year's
budget. In fact, he said, ''It's the budget we've been
waiting a decade for.'' That is quite extraordinary. I probably do not
agree with that completely because of the previous record —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr
J.N. CAREY : The Leader of the
Opposition gets very angry. He is always agitated. He should have a cup of tea
and calm down. He will be okay. He will get through it. He gets red in the face
and agitated. I worry for him sometimes.
I have to disagree with Mark a bit
because of all our record social housing spends over the last few years. In
fact, we have provided an extra $3.2 billion in social housing and homelessness
funding since 2021–22.
Our side has a very clear plan for
housing but we could compare it to the other side. We have the highly agitated
Nationals WA whose only policy to date is to increase red tape and make it
harder to deliver community housing and workers' accommodation in
regional communities. We should be very clear: it is committed to that policy
and more red tape with the development assessment panel system. I will be in
every regional community reminding builders who are worried about projects that
the Nationals want to make it harder.
Then
we have the WA Liberal Party, which has no policies at all. I heard the comment
made by the Leader of the Liberal Party. She said, ''We're
making it clearer every day. Puberty blockers and Coachella music festivals:
they're the priorities for Western Australians.''
Do members know what? I was at an
event of industry builders over the weekend and they said, ''John, we
keep getting calls from the opposition asking for policies.''
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : I was like, ''That's
how desperate that side has got.''
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The Leader of
the Liberal Party is getting very agitated.
Ms L. Mettam : How's
your delivery going?
Mr J.N. CAREY : I know that
the Leader of the Liberal Party's priority is Coachella.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is
interesting that I have clearly struck a nerve. I know she wants to go dancing
with the Liberal candidate for Churchlands. Go to Fred Again. That is a priority
for the member. While Liberal candidates are putting out ridiculous policies
that do not represent —
Ms L. Mettam : You're
a failed housing minister.
Mr J.N. CAREY : She is very
embarrassed. I have never seen someone get so agitated every time I mention the
Liberal candidate for Churchlands. It is weird. She gets very highly agitated
and very worried as if someone wants her job.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister! There is too much noise. I am rather hopeful that the minister's
answer is nearly at a conclusion.
Mr
J.N. CAREY : Thank you, Madam
Speaker. The point I am making is that despite the Liberal leader's
protests that she is making it clearer every day, it is quite apparent
that that side has no housing policies when it is compared with the significant
investment and the number of reforms that we are doing to boost housing supply
in Western Australia.
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