❓ Mr L'Estrange questions the Premier on falling home building approvals, while the Premier defends government measures and cites external factors like the Royal Commission and the China travel ban.
AnsweredQoN 48Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING —
BUILDING APPROVALS
48. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
According to the Australian Bureau
of Statistics, Western Australian home building approvals are continuing to
fall and have reached the lowest levels in almost 20 years. When will the
Premier admit that his measures to boost the housing market have failed?
BUILDING APPROVALS
48. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
According to the Australian Bureau
of Statistics, Western Australian home building approvals are continuing to
fall and have reached the lowest levels in almost 20 years. When will the
Premier admit that his measures to boost the housing market have failed?
AnswerView source ↗
The government has put in place a range
of measures to support home building in Western Australia. Last year we rolled
out the Keystart initiatives to ensure that there was more availability of
finance, in particular for first home builders but not exclusively. That showed
some success last year, so we extended it at the end of last year for at least
another six months so that more people have access to finance. There has been a
significant problem nationally post the
royal commission into the banks in that the availability of finance has declined.
The state government, where it can, has picked up the slack with the Keystart
initiative we took. Late last year, on top of that, we announced the housing
package, which was a $222 million building package combined with a range of
initiatives to support people who are challenged and homeless, with some
common-ground facilities and wraparound services and the like.
The reality is that when it comes to
house price falls, over 60 per cent of the house price falls took place during
the last term of government. All the recent indications have indicated that
there has been some improvement in the housing market and we look forward to a continued
improvement, but that requires a range of things. One is that all the excess
capacity that was provided over the boom years, and there was a lot, is taken
up. Another is that people are able to get finance and there is continuing
population growth in Western Australia. We look forward to all those things
happening. Just as a side note, as I have said numerous times, I note that the
Prime Minister has just extended the travel ban with China, so I expect this
issue to go on for some considerable period. We have significant headwinds and
significant challenges before us in light of that. I am positive about the
future of the housing market. I think it is a good time to buy. I do not think
we should talk it down. I urge people who want to get finance to see Keystart.
of measures to support home building in Western Australia. Last year we rolled
out the Keystart initiatives to ensure that there was more availability of
finance, in particular for first home builders but not exclusively. That showed
some success last year, so we extended it at the end of last year for at least
another six months so that more people have access to finance. There has been a
significant problem nationally post the
royal commission into the banks in that the availability of finance has declined.
The state government, where it can, has picked up the slack with the Keystart
initiative we took. Late last year, on top of that, we announced the housing
package, which was a $222 million building package combined with a range of
initiatives to support people who are challenged and homeless, with some
common-ground facilities and wraparound services and the like.
The reality is that when it comes to
house price falls, over 60 per cent of the house price falls took place during
the last term of government. All the recent indications have indicated that
there has been some improvement in the housing market and we look forward to a continued
improvement, but that requires a range of things. One is that all the excess
capacity that was provided over the boom years, and there was a lot, is taken
up. Another is that people are able to get finance and there is continuing
population growth in Western Australia. We look forward to all those things
happening. Just as a side note, as I have said numerous times, I note that the
Prime Minister has just extended the travel ban with China, so I expect this
issue to go on for some considerable period. We have significant headwinds and
significant challenges before us in light of that. I am positive about the
future of the housing market. I think it is a good time to buy. I do not think
we should talk it down. I urge people who want to get finance to see Keystart.
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