❓ The Minister for Finance addresses concerns about the building industry, outlining state budget measures including financial relief for contractors, rise-and-fall provisions in government contracts, and an extension to the building bonus scheme. The response also includes political commentary.
AnsweredQoN 337Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2022–23 — BUILDING INDUSTRY
337. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Minister for Finance:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in supporting the building and construction
industry as it deals with global supply pressures and tight labour market
conditions.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the state budget will support the building
industry, as well as homebuyers and home owners?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this support will help alleviate pressure on home
builders and the construction sector?
BUDGET 2022–23 — BUILDING INDUSTRY
337. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Minister for Finance:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in supporting the building and construction
industry as it deals with global supply pressures and tight labour market
conditions.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the state budget will support the building
industry, as well as homebuyers and home owners?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this support will help alleviate pressure on home
builders and the construction sector?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Scarborough
for that question. He is a very positive member of this house compared with
those in the opposition. They must be very happy with their masks on today—it
is masking their disappointment at the unemployment figures that have been
recorded in Western Australia!
A member interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Of course,
it allows some of their former colleagues who were defeated at the last
election to obtain a job now, although Michaelia Cash did her best to
employ some of them! But I digress.
(1)–(2) As the Minister for
Housing —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : As the
Minister for Housing informed the house yesterday, there are some great
stresses worldwide and in Australia on the supply chains for the materials
needed for the construction of homes and also there are workplace issues. The
unemployment rate in Western Australia now has a ''2'' in front
of it and we have the highest participation rate in the nation. The combination
of supply chain issues and employment workforce issues has, of course, placed
pressure on the local construction market, which results in delays and also
cost escalation. The member asked me how we are seeking to alleviate that
issue. A couple of measures are mentioned in the budget. We have created a $30 million
financial relief scheme for head contractors who face unseen supply chain
issues. We will also have more rise-and-fall provisions in government contracts
for future projects. That will help the construction industry deal with the
escalation in cost due to supply chain issues and workplace pressures.
I would like to thank the peak
industry bodies, including the Master Builders Association and the Housing
Industry Association. We have consulted them, we have listened to them and we
have come up with solutions. That is what the McGowan Labor government does—it
addresses the problems; it does not stand up for 25 minutes and read word for
word a speech of negativity about the budget.
Also, we have announced an
extension of 12 months to start the construction of homes for building bonus
applications. I have received a number of letters from Western Australians who
are concerned that the construction of their house will not commence in the
time period, so we have extended that by 12 months. That will be a great relief
for many individuals in Western Australia. Whoever wins the federal election in
two days' time—I dearly hope it is an Albanese government when
I wake up on Sunday—I will be writing to the relevant federal minister
and asking them to amend the deadlines for the federal home builders scheme to
align with the extension that we now have for the building bonus.
Having such a brilliant state
economy creates problems. It creates stresses in the construction industry. We
believe these measures will go some way to alleviating those problems.
for that question. He is a very positive member of this house compared with
those in the opposition. They must be very happy with their masks on today—it
is masking their disappointment at the unemployment figures that have been
recorded in Western Australia!
A member interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Of course,
it allows some of their former colleagues who were defeated at the last
election to obtain a job now, although Michaelia Cash did her best to
employ some of them! But I digress.
(1)–(2) As the Minister for
Housing —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : As the
Minister for Housing informed the house yesterday, there are some great
stresses worldwide and in Australia on the supply chains for the materials
needed for the construction of homes and also there are workplace issues. The
unemployment rate in Western Australia now has a ''2'' in front
of it and we have the highest participation rate in the nation. The combination
of supply chain issues and employment workforce issues has, of course, placed
pressure on the local construction market, which results in delays and also
cost escalation. The member asked me how we are seeking to alleviate that
issue. A couple of measures are mentioned in the budget. We have created a $30 million
financial relief scheme for head contractors who face unseen supply chain
issues. We will also have more rise-and-fall provisions in government contracts
for future projects. That will help the construction industry deal with the
escalation in cost due to supply chain issues and workplace pressures.
I would like to thank the peak
industry bodies, including the Master Builders Association and the Housing
Industry Association. We have consulted them, we have listened to them and we
have come up with solutions. That is what the McGowan Labor government does—it
addresses the problems; it does not stand up for 25 minutes and read word for
word a speech of negativity about the budget.
Also, we have announced an
extension of 12 months to start the construction of homes for building bonus
applications. I have received a number of letters from Western Australians who
are concerned that the construction of their house will not commence in the
time period, so we have extended that by 12 months. That will be a great relief
for many individuals in Western Australia. Whoever wins the federal election in
two days' time—I dearly hope it is an Albanese government when
I wake up on Sunday—I will be writing to the relevant federal minister
and asking them to amend the deadlines for the federal home builders scheme to
align with the extension that we now have for the building bonus.
Having such a brilliant state
economy creates problems. It creates stresses in the construction industry. We
believe these measures will go some way to alleviating those problems.
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