❓ Premier responds to questions about housing supply, highlighting government achievements and criticising the opposition's lack of a unified plan.
AnsweredQoN 658Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING — SUPPLY
658. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
ongoing efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing options for Western
Australians.
(1) Can the Premier update the house
on recent milestones in this government's program of works?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house of whether he is aware of any threats to the delivery
of additional housing in WA?
658. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
ongoing efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing options for Western
Australians.
(1) Can the Premier update the house
on recent milestones in this government's program of works?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house of whether he is aware of any threats to the delivery
of additional housing in WA?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. The member lives in one of those areas of
our northern suburbs that is growing rapidly at the moment, and housing is an
important issue to the member for Burns Beach. Western Australia is set to
crack three million people literally within weeks. I am not sure whether the
Australian Bureau of Statistics has someone stationed at King Edward Memorial
Hospital for Women, but it informed us that, in literally weeks, Western Australia
will crack the three million people mark. We have grown at a rate not seen
since the gold rush of the late 1800s, so it makes sense that building more
homes is imperative for government and industry. Boosting housing supply has
been our joint focus and our top priority because we all recognise that
building more homes is integral to the state's social and economic progress. But, as we have all experienced
in recent years, it is not a matter of clicking our fingers and houses appearing. That is why my government
stands by its record to create social homes and introduce policies to
support housing. That includes training the next generation of home builders,
introducing planning reforms and reforms to environmental approvals, developing
the entire creation of Metronet to connect our outer suburbs and providing
interest-free loans to support builders to complete unfinished homes. We have
even cut red tape for granny flats and offered up state land for housing.
Last week, we continued our campaign
to build more new homes. On Wednesday, we released more than 600 hectares of residential land. The land is
located in Eglinton in the north and Karnup in the south and can accommodate 6 000 new lots. These 6 000 houses
will become home to around 16 000 people, all connected up through
Metronet. As part of the land release, we are inviting developers to put
forward their housing proposals either through a partnered approach or direct
purchase of the land. That same day, we also announced
a new residential project at the Metronet Nicholson Road station precinct in Canning
Vale. There will be 49 new townhouses and apartments—a mix of
one, two and three-bedroom social and affordable homes. Lastly, we have created
a path forward for Nicheliving customers. In addition, the company and its
directors are banned from building for at least a decade.
Even in the face of record population
growth, we are seeing progress. Data last week showed nearly 18 000 homes were
completed in 2023–24. That is the highest number of completions in six
years. Building approvals are also rising sustainably and rental vacancies are
slowly starting to rise. I think the latest figures, Minister for Housing, are
that we have moved from a 0.7 per cent to a 1.4 per cent vacancy rate, so there
are signs—green shoots—that our housing policies right across a
whole range of areas are starting to work. But it is true to say that all this
progress is at risk. The government I lead is united in addressing housing
challenges, but members opposite are all over the place, especially when it
comes to housing, training a workforce to build more housing and cutting red
tape. Members opposite do not have a plan. They do not have the experience and
they contradict themselves all the time. On the one hand, we have the Leader of
the WA Liberal Party saying that she will cut red tape. On the other hand, on
the other side of town, we have members of
the Liberal Party promising to wind back the planning reforms, blocking inner-city housing in East Perth and drumming up scare campaigns around
density. They are all over the place; they cannot agree on anything. One thing
we know is that my government is united. It is working together to make sure
that we tackle the challenges of housing. That is all at risk if those opposite
get anywhere near the handles of government.
We know that they do not have a plan. They do not have a policy; and, if
they do, they can never agree on it.
We are very pleased with the success
we are having in the housing area. There is more to be done, but my government
is united and has a plan for getting it done.
Visitors — West
Beechboro Primary School P&C
The
SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the Leader of the Liberal Party,
on behalf of the member for Bassendean, I would like to acknowledge in the
public gallery today the P&C from West Beechboro Primary School.
thank the member for the question. The member lives in one of those areas of
our northern suburbs that is growing rapidly at the moment, and housing is an
important issue to the member for Burns Beach. Western Australia is set to
crack three million people literally within weeks. I am not sure whether the
Australian Bureau of Statistics has someone stationed at King Edward Memorial
Hospital for Women, but it informed us that, in literally weeks, Western Australia
will crack the three million people mark. We have grown at a rate not seen
since the gold rush of the late 1800s, so it makes sense that building more
homes is imperative for government and industry. Boosting housing supply has
been our joint focus and our top priority because we all recognise that
building more homes is integral to the state's social and economic progress. But, as we have all experienced
in recent years, it is not a matter of clicking our fingers and houses appearing. That is why my government
stands by its record to create social homes and introduce policies to
support housing. That includes training the next generation of home builders,
introducing planning reforms and reforms to environmental approvals, developing
the entire creation of Metronet to connect our outer suburbs and providing
interest-free loans to support builders to complete unfinished homes. We have
even cut red tape for granny flats and offered up state land for housing.
Last week, we continued our campaign
to build more new homes. On Wednesday, we released more than 600 hectares of residential land. The land is
located in Eglinton in the north and Karnup in the south and can accommodate 6 000 new lots. These 6 000 houses
will become home to around 16 000 people, all connected up through
Metronet. As part of the land release, we are inviting developers to put
forward their housing proposals either through a partnered approach or direct
purchase of the land. That same day, we also announced
a new residential project at the Metronet Nicholson Road station precinct in Canning
Vale. There will be 49 new townhouses and apartments—a mix of
one, two and three-bedroom social and affordable homes. Lastly, we have created
a path forward for Nicheliving customers. In addition, the company and its
directors are banned from building for at least a decade.
Even in the face of record population
growth, we are seeing progress. Data last week showed nearly 18 000 homes were
completed in 2023–24. That is the highest number of completions in six
years. Building approvals are also rising sustainably and rental vacancies are
slowly starting to rise. I think the latest figures, Minister for Housing, are
that we have moved from a 0.7 per cent to a 1.4 per cent vacancy rate, so there
are signs—green shoots—that our housing policies right across a
whole range of areas are starting to work. But it is true to say that all this
progress is at risk. The government I lead is united in addressing housing
challenges, but members opposite are all over the place, especially when it
comes to housing, training a workforce to build more housing and cutting red
tape. Members opposite do not have a plan. They do not have the experience and
they contradict themselves all the time. On the one hand, we have the Leader of
the WA Liberal Party saying that she will cut red tape. On the other hand, on
the other side of town, we have members of
the Liberal Party promising to wind back the planning reforms, blocking inner-city housing in East Perth and drumming up scare campaigns around
density. They are all over the place; they cannot agree on anything. One thing
we know is that my government is united. It is working together to make sure
that we tackle the challenges of housing. That is all at risk if those opposite
get anywhere near the handles of government.
We know that they do not have a plan. They do not have a policy; and, if
they do, they can never agree on it.
We are very pleased with the success
we are having in the housing area. There is more to be done, but my government
is united and has a plan for getting it done.
Visitors — West
Beechboro Primary School P&C
The
SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the Leader of the Liberal Party,
on behalf of the member for Bassendean, I would like to acknowledge in the
public gallery today the P&C from West Beechboro Primary School.
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