❓ Ms. Davies questions the Premier's lack of response to the Housing Emergency Response Group's letter regarding the housing crisis. The Premier acknowledges the issue, outlines government initiatives, and attributes increased demand to returning Australians and the closure of interstate FIFO.
AnsweredQoN 177Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING — AVAILABILITY
177. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Ten groups form the Housing Emergency Response Group. Why has the Premier
failed to respond to a letter dated 6 May sent to him by this group, calling
for immediate action and calling the situation we are faced with a crisis; and,
when will the government act?
177. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Ten groups form the Housing Emergency Response Group. Why has the Premier
failed to respond to a letter dated 6 May sent to him by this group, calling
for immediate action and calling the situation we are faced with a crisis; and,
when will the government act?
AnswerView source ↗
I am unaware of a letter, but I will
outline the situation to the Leader of the Opposition again. Some of those
groups I have met and seen in the last little while. In any event, I outlined
the Common Ground facilities. Obviously, we have set aside support for two of
those facilities to be constructed—one in the city and one in Mandurah.
There is money for a 100-bed crisis and transitional accommodation facility
that the Minister for Housing and Minister for Community Services are working
on, and then there is the $100 million of services that we provide each and
every year for homelessness services across the state. That is all ongoing.
That is what we are doing. But, as I said —
Ms M.J. Davies : This group
said it's not enough, Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will repeat
it to the Leader of the Opposition. Did the Leader of the Opposition predict
the pandemic and that tens of thousands of Australians would return home? Did
she know that was going to happen? Tens of thousands,
in fact, hundreds of thousands of people are coming home and not going back
overseas. A lot of Australians have
lived overseas for decades. They are coming home with no intention of going
back overseas because Australia, and particularly Western Australia, is
the best and safest place in the world. They are deciding to stay here and they want accommodation, so they are
occupying rentals or buying homes. One of the other things we did —I
will outline it again—was to work with the companies to close down
interstate FIFO. What has that done? It has meant
that all those people who work in those industries, particularly mining, have
moved to Western Australia, often with their extended family, and are
occupying properties here. Is that a bad thing? That is actually a good thing.
That is one of the good things that we did last year that will strengthen Western
Australia over time.
Mr R.S. Love : It has
consequences.
Mr M. McGOWAN : As the member
for Moore said, it has consequences. One of the consequences is that it is
great for the Western Australian economy. The member may not like it. The tone
of the member for Moore's commentary
is that he prefers interstate FIFO. That is the tone of his commentary.
Obviously, we do not, so we have a different point of view to the Nationals WA.
We want these people to come and live here and we are making sure more
accommodation and more housing is being built to ensure that they can be
accommodated in the long term.
outline the situation to the Leader of the Opposition again. Some of those
groups I have met and seen in the last little while. In any event, I outlined
the Common Ground facilities. Obviously, we have set aside support for two of
those facilities to be constructed—one in the city and one in Mandurah.
There is money for a 100-bed crisis and transitional accommodation facility
that the Minister for Housing and Minister for Community Services are working
on, and then there is the $100 million of services that we provide each and
every year for homelessness services across the state. That is all ongoing.
That is what we are doing. But, as I said —
Ms M.J. Davies : This group
said it's not enough, Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will repeat
it to the Leader of the Opposition. Did the Leader of the Opposition predict
the pandemic and that tens of thousands of Australians would return home? Did
she know that was going to happen? Tens of thousands,
in fact, hundreds of thousands of people are coming home and not going back
overseas. A lot of Australians have
lived overseas for decades. They are coming home with no intention of going
back overseas because Australia, and particularly Western Australia, is
the best and safest place in the world. They are deciding to stay here and they want accommodation, so they are
occupying rentals or buying homes. One of the other things we did —I
will outline it again—was to work with the companies to close down
interstate FIFO. What has that done? It has meant
that all those people who work in those industries, particularly mining, have
moved to Western Australia, often with their extended family, and are
occupying properties here. Is that a bad thing? That is actually a good thing.
That is one of the good things that we did last year that will strengthen Western
Australia over time.
Mr R.S. Love : It has
consequences.
Mr M. McGOWAN : As the member
for Moore said, it has consequences. One of the consequences is that it is
great for the Western Australian economy. The member may not like it. The tone
of the member for Moore's commentary
is that he prefers interstate FIFO. That is the tone of his commentary.
Obviously, we do not, so we have a different point of view to the Nationals WA.
We want these people to come and live here and we are making sure more
accommodation and more housing is being built to ensure that they can be
accommodated in the long term.
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