❓ Ms McGurk questions the delay in the Department of Housing's relocation to Fremantle, announced in 2012. The Minister cites market changes and value-for-money considerations as reasons for the delay, reaffirming support for decentralisation.
AnsweredQoN 330Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING OFFICES — RELOCATION
330. Ms S.F. McGURK to the
Minister for Finance:
I refer to the relocation of the Department of Housing to
Fremantle, which was announced by this government in 2012 and for which the
Minister for Finance received tenders in 2013, yet the Department of Finance
has still has not made a decision.
(1) As
numerous commercial and local government decisions are reliant upon the
decision to relocate the Department of Housing to Fremantle, will the minister
now give a final answer to this issue?
(2) Why has it
taken three years since this move was announced to make an actual decision?
330. Ms S.F. McGURK to the
Minister for Finance:
I refer to the relocation of the Department of Housing to
Fremantle, which was announced by this government in 2012 and for which the
Minister for Finance received tenders in 2013, yet the Department of Finance
has still has not made a decision.
(1) As
numerous commercial and local government decisions are reliant upon the
decision to relocate the Department of Housing to Fremantle, will the minister
now give a final answer to this issue?
(2) Why has it
taken three years since this move was announced to make an actual decision?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Fremantle for the question.
(1)–(2)
My department has been working for a number of years to support the possibility
of a department going to Fremantle because we favour decentralisation. We are
looking for value-for-money options. In recent times, the property market in
Fremantle has gone down. The actual number of value-for-money options being
looked at, which will be delivered to me, are looking more favourable. Because
of the market going down, it is an opportunity for landlords to capitalise. My
department is looking at re-evaluating three options for the possibility of
some departments. The one that has been in the media is obviously the
Department of Housing. There are other —
Ms
S.F. McGurk : That is the one you're saying you're looking
at!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Fremantle, you asked a question!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
We are looking at the options. Obviously, it has to be a value-for-money
proposition. The taxpayers of Western Australia's money has to be
considered in the equation. However, I will say to the house that we are in
support of decentralisation, and Fremantle is one area we are looking at
seriously.
(1)–(2)
My department has been working for a number of years to support the possibility
of a department going to Fremantle because we favour decentralisation. We are
looking for value-for-money options. In recent times, the property market in
Fremantle has gone down. The actual number of value-for-money options being
looked at, which will be delivered to me, are looking more favourable. Because
of the market going down, it is an opportunity for landlords to capitalise. My
department is looking at re-evaluating three options for the possibility of
some departments. The one that has been in the media is obviously the
Department of Housing. There are other —
Ms
S.F. McGurk : That is the one you're saying you're looking
at!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Fremantle, you asked a question!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
We are looking at the options. Obviously, it has to be a value-for-money
proposition. The taxpayers of Western Australia's money has to be
considered in the equation. However, I will say to the house that we are in
support of decentralisation, and Fremantle is one area we are looking at
seriously.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.