❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Treasurer about the government's involvement in property deals while advocating for fiscal responsibility. The Treasurer defends the government's housing initiatives, particularly shared equity and investment in regional housing, contrasting them with Labor's record.
AnsweredQoN 977Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING — JOINT VENTURES
977. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
On behalf of the member for Mandurah,
I would like to acknowledge the students from Foundation Christian College, in
Mandurah, who are in the gallery today.
I refer to the Treasurer's
statement a few minutes ago that he needs to make some tough decisions. Why has
the government been boasting about underwriting speculative property deals,
while at the same time preaching that it will make the tough decisions?
977. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
On behalf of the member for Mandurah,
I would like to acknowledge the students from Foundation Christian College, in
Mandurah, who are in the gallery today.
I refer to the Treasurer's
statement a few minutes ago that he needs to make some tough decisions. Why has
the government been boasting about underwriting speculative property deals,
while at the same time preaching that it will make the tough decisions?
AnswerView source ↗
Going into —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Here is what the member is saying: shared equity is a
speculative property deal.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entry into shared equity arrangements with buyers is a
speculative property deal —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members for Victoria Park and Pilbara, I call you to order for the
first time. Member for North West Central, I do not want to hear from you
again.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entry into shared equity arrangements with individuals is a
speculative investment. Who introduced that program? It was Labor.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : So it is bad then, is it?
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No. I am just —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entering into arrangements with the Department of Housing that
goes into joint ventures with a property developer —
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : The department goes into property development so that it sets
aside a proportion of the houses for low-income or for Government Regional
Officers' Housing or for Homeswest—that is, a speculative
property deal and it has been going on for decades. It is the correct thing to
do.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Member for Victoria Park, I have called you twice.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : The Department of Housing entering into arrangements to
purchase apartments in the north that are cheaper than providing new houses,
four-by-twos, in Port Hedland and Karratha, is good dealing. It is the correct
thing to do.
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : We have a policy position to promote and help people to get
into housing, to help people to buy their own homes through shared equity and
to help people by providing housing for public servants in the north. If we can
do that by entering into arrangements that are cheaper than doing it ourselves,
we do it. Labor would not do that. The truth is that when we came to government,
Labor had grossly —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time. Member
for West Swan, you are on notice now. I call you to order for the first time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Labor grossly underinvested in Karratha and Port Hedland during
the boom time and rents went up to $3 000 a week. Public servants and people
working for non-government organisations could not go to Karratha to live and
work. We invested in the lowest-cost way of delivering those policies.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Here is what the member is saying: shared equity is a
speculative property deal.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entry into shared equity arrangements with buyers is a
speculative property deal —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members for Victoria Park and Pilbara, I call you to order for the
first time. Member for North West Central, I do not want to hear from you
again.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entry into shared equity arrangements with individuals is a
speculative investment. Who introduced that program? It was Labor.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : So it is bad then, is it?
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No. I am just —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Entering into arrangements with the Department of Housing that
goes into joint ventures with a property developer —
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : The department goes into property development so that it sets
aside a proportion of the houses for low-income or for Government Regional
Officers' Housing or for Homeswest—that is, a speculative
property deal and it has been going on for decades. It is the correct thing to
do.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Member for Victoria Park, I have called you twice.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : The Department of Housing entering into arrangements to
purchase apartments in the north that are cheaper than providing new houses,
four-by-twos, in Port Hedland and Karratha, is good dealing. It is the correct
thing to do.
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : We have a policy position to promote and help people to get
into housing, to help people to buy their own homes through shared equity and
to help people by providing housing for public servants in the north. If we can
do that by entering into arrangements that are cheaper than doing it ourselves,
we do it. Labor would not do that. The truth is that when we came to government,
Labor had grossly —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time. Member
for West Swan, you are on notice now. I call you to order for the first time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Labor grossly underinvested in Karratha and Port Hedland during
the boom time and rents went up to $3 000 a week. Public servants and people
working for non-government organisations could not go to Karratha to live and
work. We invested in the lowest-cost way of delivering those policies.
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