❓ Mr. Norberger asks for a summary of a report on the WA housing industry. The Minister responds with positive data on lot creation, dwelling commencements, and apartment approvals, highlighting government efforts in planning and affordable housing.
AnsweredQoN 762Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING INDUSTRY
762. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Planning:
I am aware that an independent
report was released last week providing data and trends for the health of the
Western Australian housing industry. With that in mind, can the minister
provide the house with a summary of the report findings?
762. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Planning:
I am aware that an independent
report was released last week providing data and trends for the health of the
Western Australian housing industry. With that in mind, can the minister
provide the house with a summary of the report findings?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
As implied in the member for
Joondalup's question, the housing industry is very important in
relation to economic activity in Western Australia, and obviously is very
important in providing affordable accommodation for residents of our state. The
Housing Industry Forecasting Group has an important role in providing advice to
government and the housing and development sector, with assessments and
forecasting for land and housing activity in the state; it provides information
and data on the numbers of lots and dwelling construction in the state, and
also broader information about the real estate market and the private rental
market. Some of the figures from the report released last week are interesting
and encouraging in relation to the factors that I have mentioned. For example,
the number of lots created in the state in 2012–13 increased by 32 per cent
from the situation in the previous year. There was a 34 per cent increase in the number of residential
dwelling commencements across the state compared with the case last year, with
24 010 homes commencing construction in 2012–13. The Urban Development
Institute of Australia's Western Australian division advises that the
number of lots under construction in the Perth region has increased by 54 per cent
compared with the June 2012 figures.
We understand that the planning approvals system has an
important role to play in ensuring that land is available for residential
development. W e have sufficient
land zoned for urban and residential development, in particular in the Perth
and Peel regions, for the next 20 years at the density rates that have been
achieved over the past two or three decades, and for up to 50 years if the
average densities proposed in Directions 2031 are achieved. One of the key
objectives of the planning reform agenda in the past four or five years has
been to increase the diversity of housing available and to encourage more urban
infill developments, as well as changes to the R-codes. It is interesting that
the number of apartment approvals for 2012–13 increased by 58 per cent
compared with the case in the previous year, and comprised 24 per cent of total
approvals in the Perth region. That is quite a substantial increase and the
direction in which we need to be moving. It is not that we expect everyone to
want to live in apartments; there needs to be diversity, ranging from larger
lots in the more peripheral urban areas, including for semi-rural activities,
to high-density housing in well-provided-for infrastructure areas within about
10 kilometres of the Perth CBD.
I also acknowledge the work being done in the housing portfolio under the Minister for
Housing on the provision of public sector housing. The number of commencements
in 2012–13 were up by 96 per cent on the situation in the previous year—up
to 1 138. That indicates that we are very much on track to achieve the additional number of 20 000 new
affordable homes by 2020. The information is that we are making very good progress in the provision of affordable
housing in Western Australia.
As implied in the member for
Joondalup's question, the housing industry is very important in
relation to economic activity in Western Australia, and obviously is very
important in providing affordable accommodation for residents of our state. The
Housing Industry Forecasting Group has an important role in providing advice to
government and the housing and development sector, with assessments and
forecasting for land and housing activity in the state; it provides information
and data on the numbers of lots and dwelling construction in the state, and
also broader information about the real estate market and the private rental
market. Some of the figures from the report released last week are interesting
and encouraging in relation to the factors that I have mentioned. For example,
the number of lots created in the state in 2012–13 increased by 32 per cent
from the situation in the previous year. There was a 34 per cent increase in the number of residential
dwelling commencements across the state compared with the case last year, with
24 010 homes commencing construction in 2012–13. The Urban Development
Institute of Australia's Western Australian division advises that the
number of lots under construction in the Perth region has increased by 54 per cent
compared with the June 2012 figures.
We understand that the planning approvals system has an
important role to play in ensuring that land is available for residential
development. W e have sufficient
land zoned for urban and residential development, in particular in the Perth
and Peel regions, for the next 20 years at the density rates that have been
achieved over the past two or three decades, and for up to 50 years if the
average densities proposed in Directions 2031 are achieved. One of the key
objectives of the planning reform agenda in the past four or five years has
been to increase the diversity of housing available and to encourage more urban
infill developments, as well as changes to the R-codes. It is interesting that
the number of apartment approvals for 2012–13 increased by 58 per cent
compared with the case in the previous year, and comprised 24 per cent of total
approvals in the Perth region. That is quite a substantial increase and the
direction in which we need to be moving. It is not that we expect everyone to
want to live in apartments; there needs to be diversity, ranging from larger
lots in the more peripheral urban areas, including for semi-rural activities,
to high-density housing in well-provided-for infrastructure areas within about
10 kilometres of the Perth CBD.
I also acknowledge the work being done in the housing portfolio under the Minister for
Housing on the provision of public sector housing. The number of commencements
in 2012–13 were up by 96 per cent on the situation in the previous year—up
to 1 138. That indicates that we are very much on track to achieve the additional number of 20 000 new
affordable homes by 2020. The information is that we are making very good progress in the provision of affordable
housing in Western Australia.
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