❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA government's plan to deliver more social, community, and affordable housing, followed by a lengthy response from the Minister highlighting government achievements and criticizing the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 677Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Housing—Availability
677. Dr Jags Krishnan to
the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring more Western Australians have the
security a home provides.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
government's plan to deliver more social, community and affordable housing?
(2) Is the minister aware of any alternative ideas
proposed by others to help achieve this?
677. Dr Jags Krishnan to
the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring more Western Australians have the
security a home provides.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
government's plan to deliver more social, community and affordable housing?
(2) Is the minister aware of any alternative ideas
proposed by others to help achieve this?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) As I have
noted before and as our state government has said, we are acutely aware of the
pressures that people are facing in housing and rental markets, and that is why
members are seeing an extraordinary effort by our government to provide every Western
Australian with a place that they can call home. We understand that critical
need. We understand that people are doing it tough. That is why members have
seen us make a record investment of $5.8 billion in housing and homelessness programs.
That is why we have made big bold decisions—to provide that lift in
housing for our most vulnerable. Of course, we are trying to do everything we
can to get social housing delivered as quickly as possible. That is why we made
the decision to buy Fraser Suites. That will provide more than 200 apartments
for both social and low-income workers. That project is being fitted out right
now. There are so many other measures that we have demonstrated a preparedness
to do, like purchasing Murray Street Lodge and converting it into supported
accommodation for our homeless, and like embracing tiny and small homes—modular, prefab—so that we can get social housing
out the door. To date, we have delivered more than 3,800 social homes since
our record investment, with another 1,000 under construction.
It struck me by surprise to see
the latest comments by the shadow housing spokesperson yesterday. Members of the
opposition are like goldfish; they have very short-term memories. They swim
along, something catches their attention, they take a bite and then they forget
about everything behind them. The main comment that the shadow housing
spokesperson made was that we need more ambitious social housing targets. I
repeat: the shadow housing spokesperson said, with a straight face, that we
need more ambitious social housing targets.
What surprises me about that is
that we had an election this year and, two days before the election in March
this year, I debated the Leader of the Liberal Party, and housing and
homelessness was front and centre of that debate. Both of us were pressed on
housing. I remember that Nadia Mitsopoulos from the ABC repeatedly asked the
leader of the Liberals what the Liberals' social housing target was. He fobbed
around. He had that thing going with his arms. I could have thrown in water and
got my washing done! He was all over the place: "Yeah but no but yeah but
no but yeah." He is the political equivalent of Vicky Pollard: "Yeah
but no but yeah but no."
Mr Basil Zempilas: Remember what she said about
the racetrack when she asked you about that? Remember that part? Do you remember?
Mr John Carey: He is starting, Mr Speaker.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
Mr John Carey: He is starting.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! If you would
like to ask a question, you will have the opportunity shortly.
Mr John Carey: The Vicky Pollard of politics, who
could not answer a question on social housing—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I am going to
call you to order for the first time. Your interjections are disorderly, even
though they are being provoked by the minister, who is trying to wrap up his
contribution.
Mr John Carey: The supersensitivity—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
Mr John Carey: —of the leader of the Liberals—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: He is supersensitive for this reason.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: When he was tested in the public arena
on a debate—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please stop
your interjections.
Mr John Carey: When he was tested in the public arena
and asked about the social housing target, all he could say was that they would
do better. This is the policy vacuum we have in the WA Liberals. The shadow
housing spokesperson says that we need more ambitious housing targets, yet—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, you are making
it very difficult for the minister to conclude.
Mr John Carey: When
the WA Liberal leader is tested, he cannot explain why the Liberals have no
social housing policies—and no wonder. I understand why he is now being
supersensitive. I understand why he is embarrassed and agitated, because every
time—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I am going to
call you for the second time.
Mr John Carey: Every time we remind Western
Australians that he closed a women's shelter, it reminds everyone of his
appalling and shameful legacy at the City of Perth.
Visitors
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda, before I give you
the call, I would like to welcome and acknowledge the federal member for
Bullwinkel, Trish Cook, in the gallery today. Welcome, Trish.
noted before and as our state government has said, we are acutely aware of the
pressures that people are facing in housing and rental markets, and that is why
members are seeing an extraordinary effort by our government to provide every Western
Australian with a place that they can call home. We understand that critical
need. We understand that people are doing it tough. That is why members have
seen us make a record investment of $5.8 billion in housing and homelessness programs.
That is why we have made big bold decisions—to provide that lift in
housing for our most vulnerable. Of course, we are trying to do everything we
can to get social housing delivered as quickly as possible. That is why we made
the decision to buy Fraser Suites. That will provide more than 200 apartments
for both social and low-income workers. That project is being fitted out right
now. There are so many other measures that we have demonstrated a preparedness
to do, like purchasing Murray Street Lodge and converting it into supported
accommodation for our homeless, and like embracing tiny and small homes—modular, prefab—so that we can get social housing
out the door. To date, we have delivered more than 3,800 social homes since
our record investment, with another 1,000 under construction.
It struck me by surprise to see
the latest comments by the shadow housing spokesperson yesterday. Members of the
opposition are like goldfish; they have very short-term memories. They swim
along, something catches their attention, they take a bite and then they forget
about everything behind them. The main comment that the shadow housing
spokesperson made was that we need more ambitious social housing targets. I
repeat: the shadow housing spokesperson said, with a straight face, that we
need more ambitious social housing targets.
What surprises me about that is
that we had an election this year and, two days before the election in March
this year, I debated the Leader of the Liberal Party, and housing and
homelessness was front and centre of that debate. Both of us were pressed on
housing. I remember that Nadia Mitsopoulos from the ABC repeatedly asked the
leader of the Liberals what the Liberals' social housing target was. He fobbed
around. He had that thing going with his arms. I could have thrown in water and
got my washing done! He was all over the place: "Yeah but no but yeah but
no but yeah." He is the political equivalent of Vicky Pollard: "Yeah
but no but yeah but no."
Mr Basil Zempilas: Remember what she said about
the racetrack when she asked you about that? Remember that part? Do you remember?
Mr John Carey: He is starting, Mr Speaker.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
Mr John Carey: He is starting.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! If you would
like to ask a question, you will have the opportunity shortly.
Mr John Carey: The Vicky Pollard of politics, who
could not answer a question on social housing—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I am going to
call you to order for the first time. Your interjections are disorderly, even
though they are being provoked by the minister, who is trying to wrap up his
contribution.
Mr John Carey: The supersensitivity—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
Mr John Carey: —of the leader of the Liberals—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: He is supersensitive for this reason.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: When he was tested in the public arena
on a debate—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please stop
your interjections.
Mr John Carey: When he was tested in the public arena
and asked about the social housing target, all he could say was that they would
do better. This is the policy vacuum we have in the WA Liberals. The shadow
housing spokesperson says that we need more ambitious housing targets, yet—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, you are making
it very difficult for the minister to conclude.
Mr John Carey: When
the WA Liberal leader is tested, he cannot explain why the Liberals have no
social housing policies—and no wonder. I understand why he is now being
supersensitive. I understand why he is embarrassed and agitated, because every
time—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I am going to
call you for the second time.
Mr John Carey: Every time we remind Western
Australians that he closed a women's shelter, it reminds everyone of his
appalling and shameful legacy at the City of Perth.
Visitors
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda, before I give you
the call, I would like to welcome and acknowledge the federal member for
Bullwinkel, Trish Cook, in the gallery today. Welcome, Trish.
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