❓ The question from Ms. Hamilton seeks an outline of how planning reforms are cutting red tape and accelerating housing supply, and if the Minister is aware of opposition to these efforts. The Minister's response details various reforms, including a new significant development pathway, easier approvals for single homes, and modernising the Cambridge Endowment Lands Act, while also launching a political attack on the Liberal leader regarding their stance on planning and alleged misogynistic comment
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Housing—Planning reform
312. Ms Emily Hamilton to
the Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's reforms to WA's planning system to enable the construction
of more homes.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house
how the continued modernisation of planning laws is cutting red tape and
accelerating the delivery of supply?
(2) Can the minister also advise the house
if he is aware of anyone who does not support this government's efforts to
build more homes?
312. Ms Emily Hamilton to
the Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's reforms to WA's planning system to enable the construction
of more homes.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house
how the continued modernisation of planning laws is cutting red tape and
accelerating the delivery of supply?
(2) Can the minister also advise the house
if he is aware of anyone who does not support this government's efforts to
build more homes?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for her question. As
we know, National Cabinet has set a goal for every state in the country to
streamline planning approvals. Builders and family businesses—small and large—will
tell you that any delay in approval processes increases holding costs and
impacts the delivery of housing. That is why our government is undertaking a
vast number of measures to streamline and cut planning approvals.
There is a new, permanent significant
development pathway for major projects, easier approvals for single homes, and
improved and modernised development assessment panels. We are removing
mandatory thresholds, giving people the opportunity to opt in, and we are strengthening
the role of the Western Australian Planning Commission. Of course, more is
coming with reforms to the residential codes, which will unlock more land for
housing supply and enable more homes to be built through a streamlined process.
I have also announced another
change that will cut unnecessary red tape. We are introducing new legislation
to modernise the Cambridge Endowment Lands Act. It is an old act that affects
development in Floreat and City Beach. It is redundant local law and is causing
uncertainty for development within those suburbs. In fact, we are taking this
action in part as a result of a Supreme Court legal action against the Ocean
Village redevelopment. That project has been approved by the WA Planning
Commission and is expected to deliver around 240 homes. Given the
uncertainty of an archaic act, we seek to amend it to provide clarity and
certainty and to ensure that the planning system stands as the appropriate
pathway for planning approvals within this area. To be clear, this does not
remove the powers of the council to create local laws, but it removes
uncertainty.
This will be a test for the
Liberal leader. We have a Liberal leader who allows his backbench and members
to say anything on planning and even to advocate for abolishing the former
Liberal government's development assessment panels and push it back to local
government. We have seen a complete failure of leadership by the Liberal leader
to rein it in. The message to industry, the message to small and family
builders is: we support more red tape. The opposition's decision on this bill will
test the Liberal leader. What will he do? Will he remove the uncertainty or
will he enable the uncertainty by allowing this current act to remain in place?
This follows other patterns by
the Liberal leader. We saw his actions today when he called the member for
Nedlands, Jonathan Huston "a great talent". He is such a great talent
that he liked and agreed to a post about the Deputy Premier. Someone allegedly wrote
something like, "Is she on drugs or something? Seriously, so relaxed, very
dishevelled and not really fazed at all." According to my notes, Jonathan,
the member for Nedlands, wrote "I agree. It was my first time in estimates
with the Treasurer. Most alarming."
There was apparently also a
reference about the Deputy Premier being an "idiot woman", and he
liked that post. This is the truth: today outside this Parliament, when the
Liberal leader—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: When the Liberal leader was asked about
that, he said, "He's a great talent", and shrugged his shoulders. We
see it again and again by the Liberal leader. He is the commentator. He does
not take positions. The WA Liberals clearly have a problem with women, because we
remember when Liberal MPs referred to their women's council as "sandwich
makers". That was let through. That was fine. The Liberal Party and the
Liberal leader just stand by. The Leader of the Opposition shrugs his
shoulders. He thinks it is okay for one of these members to like a post that
calls the Deputy Premier an "idiot woman" or says that the Deputy Premier
agrees with it and says that she is on drugs. That is misogynistic. It is
derogatory, it is disgusting and we see no leadership from the Liberal leader.
He is the classic commentator and has no leadership on matters or issues of
moral integrity in this Parliament.
we know, National Cabinet has set a goal for every state in the country to
streamline planning approvals. Builders and family businesses—small and large—will
tell you that any delay in approval processes increases holding costs and
impacts the delivery of housing. That is why our government is undertaking a
vast number of measures to streamline and cut planning approvals.
There is a new, permanent significant
development pathway for major projects, easier approvals for single homes, and
improved and modernised development assessment panels. We are removing
mandatory thresholds, giving people the opportunity to opt in, and we are strengthening
the role of the Western Australian Planning Commission. Of course, more is
coming with reforms to the residential codes, which will unlock more land for
housing supply and enable more homes to be built through a streamlined process.
I have also announced another
change that will cut unnecessary red tape. We are introducing new legislation
to modernise the Cambridge Endowment Lands Act. It is an old act that affects
development in Floreat and City Beach. It is redundant local law and is causing
uncertainty for development within those suburbs. In fact, we are taking this
action in part as a result of a Supreme Court legal action against the Ocean
Village redevelopment. That project has been approved by the WA Planning
Commission and is expected to deliver around 240 homes. Given the
uncertainty of an archaic act, we seek to amend it to provide clarity and
certainty and to ensure that the planning system stands as the appropriate
pathway for planning approvals within this area. To be clear, this does not
remove the powers of the council to create local laws, but it removes
uncertainty.
This will be a test for the
Liberal leader. We have a Liberal leader who allows his backbench and members
to say anything on planning and even to advocate for abolishing the former
Liberal government's development assessment panels and push it back to local
government. We have seen a complete failure of leadership by the Liberal leader
to rein it in. The message to industry, the message to small and family
builders is: we support more red tape. The opposition's decision on this bill will
test the Liberal leader. What will he do? Will he remove the uncertainty or
will he enable the uncertainty by allowing this current act to remain in place?
This follows other patterns by
the Liberal leader. We saw his actions today when he called the member for
Nedlands, Jonathan Huston "a great talent". He is such a great talent
that he liked and agreed to a post about the Deputy Premier. Someone allegedly wrote
something like, "Is she on drugs or something? Seriously, so relaxed, very
dishevelled and not really fazed at all." According to my notes, Jonathan,
the member for Nedlands, wrote "I agree. It was my first time in estimates
with the Treasurer. Most alarming."
There was apparently also a
reference about the Deputy Premier being an "idiot woman", and he
liked that post. This is the truth: today outside this Parliament, when the
Liberal leader—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: When the Liberal leader was asked about
that, he said, "He's a great talent", and shrugged his shoulders. We
see it again and again by the Liberal leader. He is the commentator. He does
not take positions. The WA Liberals clearly have a problem with women, because we
remember when Liberal MPs referred to their women's council as "sandwich
makers". That was let through. That was fine. The Liberal Party and the
Liberal leader just stand by. The Leader of the Opposition shrugs his
shoulders. He thinks it is okay for one of these members to like a post that
calls the Deputy Premier an "idiot woman" or says that the Deputy Premier
agrees with it and says that she is on drugs. That is misogynistic. It is
derogatory, it is disgusting and we see no leadership from the Liberal leader.
He is the classic commentator and has no leadership on matters or issues of
moral integrity in this Parliament.
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