❓ Minister Grylls confirms the completion of the Liberal-National government's commitment to build 400 new houses for Government Regional Officers' Housing (GROH) across WA, funded by royalties for regions. The response sparks debate regarding funding sources and regional allocation.
AnsweredQoN 724Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT REGIONAL OFFICERS' HOUSING
724. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Would the Minister for Regional Development update the house
on the progress of the Liberal–National government's commitment
to build 400 new houses for Government Regional Officers' Housing
across the state?
724. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Would the Minister for Regional Development update the house
on the progress of the Liberal–National government's commitment
to build 400 new houses for Government Regional Officers' Housing
across the state?
AnswerView source ↗
I am happy to update the house. The
job is done. There are 400 new houses for government regional officers across
the length and breadth of regional Western Australia. It was a huge
undertaking. It was an issue that was constantly raised when the Liberal and
National Parties where in opposition. We came to government. We said that there
is no point talking about it; it is time to get on with it. Now the project has
been completed.
Member for Central Wheatbelt, there are 62 government officer
houses in the wheatbelt. It was a $200 million project from royalties for
regions. It was one of the first major decisions the government took in 2009.
The Treasurer, as the Minister for Housing at the time, agreed that it would be
a major challenge to attract and retain government employees in regional areas
because of the low quality and standard of housing and that something had to be
done.
The 400 th house completed is one of 18 units in a
complex in Halls Creek. Members would remember that Halls Creek was infamous
during the time the Labor Party was in office. Underinvestment had led to
terrible outcomes for both the Indigenous community and government departments
that were trying to respond to challenges in the Indigenous community. There
were 25 people living in houses in Mardiwah Loop and there were no houses for
government employees to provide services for them. I am happy to say that the
government has completely rebuilt Mardiwah Loop. There are 21 new houses in
Mardiwah Loop, which will help to reduce the high incidence of overcrowding
there.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Because it is all federal government funding.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
No, it is not.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Yes, it is!
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
No, it is not.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Yes, it is.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : There has been $200 million of royalties for regions into —
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Cockburn is suggesting that the 400 houses for
government regional officers were funded by the federal government. That is
just not true.
Mr
F.M. Logan : You said that you rebuilt Halls Creek.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : It is high farce for the member for Cockburn to claim credit
for his disgraced federal counterparts on a project they did not do.
In Halls Creek, 14 two-bedroom and
four three-bedroom units will house employees from the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support, the Department of Education and the Department
of Corrective Services. I imagine that the Department of Corrective Services
employees are from the justice reinvestment program, which is looking to
intervene in families under pressure to keep our young kids out of the justice
system. That is preventive work to try to support those families.
In the Kimberley, there are 110 new
GROH houses; Pilbara, 105; wheatbelt, 62; great southern, 33; goldfields–Esperance,
28; Gascoyne, 25; midwest, 19; south west, 16; and Peel, two.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Just two!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Two houses in Peel.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Every time, we get the least amount.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : That must be poor advocacy by the local member, I think. The
current member for Kimberley has done a great job.
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Kimberley has done a great job; she has done a
better job than any members on the government side.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call the member for Mandurah to order for the first time.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Both the former and current members for Kimberley have done
great jobs in advocacy, with 110 houses addressing that shortage. I do not
think the member for Mandurah would —
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Why don't you give us some crisis houses? That's
what we need down there. You won't give us any of those either!
The
SPEAKER : I call the member for Mandurah to order for the second time. I
think he has made his point.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : I do not think the member for Mandurah could honestly tell the
Parliament that he thinks that the housing crisis in Peel is as serious as the
housing crisis in the Kimberley or the Pilbara.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Come and have a look!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : This has been a major project that has been completed.
Mr D.A. Templeman :
He's been goading me, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : He is
goading you? You have made your point, member for Mandurah.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We
have completed the project. Government employees have 400 new houses that will
help attract and retain vital government employees across regional Western
Australia. Again, I am very happy to announce that the project to build 400 new
government officer houses has been completed.
job is done. There are 400 new houses for government regional officers across
the length and breadth of regional Western Australia. It was a huge
undertaking. It was an issue that was constantly raised when the Liberal and
National Parties where in opposition. We came to government. We said that there
is no point talking about it; it is time to get on with it. Now the project has
been completed.
Member for Central Wheatbelt, there are 62 government officer
houses in the wheatbelt. It was a $200 million project from royalties for
regions. It was one of the first major decisions the government took in 2009.
The Treasurer, as the Minister for Housing at the time, agreed that it would be
a major challenge to attract and retain government employees in regional areas
because of the low quality and standard of housing and that something had to be
done.
The 400 th house completed is one of 18 units in a
complex in Halls Creek. Members would remember that Halls Creek was infamous
during the time the Labor Party was in office. Underinvestment had led to
terrible outcomes for both the Indigenous community and government departments
that were trying to respond to challenges in the Indigenous community. There
were 25 people living in houses in Mardiwah Loop and there were no houses for
government employees to provide services for them. I am happy to say that the
government has completely rebuilt Mardiwah Loop. There are 21 new houses in
Mardiwah Loop, which will help to reduce the high incidence of overcrowding
there.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Because it is all federal government funding.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
No, it is not.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Yes, it is!
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
No, it is not.
Mr F.M. Logan :
Yes, it is.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : There has been $200 million of royalties for regions into —
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Cockburn is suggesting that the 400 houses for
government regional officers were funded by the federal government. That is
just not true.
Mr
F.M. Logan : You said that you rebuilt Halls Creek.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : It is high farce for the member for Cockburn to claim credit
for his disgraced federal counterparts on a project they did not do.
In Halls Creek, 14 two-bedroom and
four three-bedroom units will house employees from the Department for Child
Protection and Family Support, the Department of Education and the Department
of Corrective Services. I imagine that the Department of Corrective Services
employees are from the justice reinvestment program, which is looking to
intervene in families under pressure to keep our young kids out of the justice
system. That is preventive work to try to support those families.
In the Kimberley, there are 110 new
GROH houses; Pilbara, 105; wheatbelt, 62; great southern, 33; goldfields–Esperance,
28; Gascoyne, 25; midwest, 19; south west, 16; and Peel, two.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Just two!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Two houses in Peel.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Every time, we get the least amount.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : That must be poor advocacy by the local member, I think. The
current member for Kimberley has done a great job.
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Kimberley has done a great job; she has done a
better job than any members on the government side.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call the member for Mandurah to order for the first time.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Both the former and current members for Kimberley have done
great jobs in advocacy, with 110 houses addressing that shortage. I do not
think the member for Mandurah would —
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Why don't you give us some crisis houses? That's
what we need down there. You won't give us any of those either!
The
SPEAKER : I call the member for Mandurah to order for the second time. I
think he has made his point.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : I do not think the member for Mandurah could honestly tell the
Parliament that he thinks that the housing crisis in Peel is as serious as the
housing crisis in the Kimberley or the Pilbara.
Mr
D.A. Templeman : Come and have a look!
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : This has been a major project that has been completed.
Mr D.A. Templeman :
He's been goading me, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : He is
goading you? You have made your point, member for Mandurah.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We
have completed the project. Government employees have 400 new houses that will
help attract and retain vital government employees across regional Western
Australia. Again, I am very happy to announce that the project to build 400 new
government officer houses has been completed.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.