❓ Mr L'Estrange questions the Premier about reinstating Perth's regional migration status and removing the foreign buyer tax. The Premier defends the foreign buyer surcharge and states the government is working with the federal government on regional migration, acknowledging complexities due to visa changes and the lack of regional universities in WA.
AnsweredQoN 931Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REGIONAL MIGRATION STATUS
931. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
I refer to the article titled ''Premier's
foreigner backflip'' published in The Weekend West on 19 October
2019, in which he acknowledged that a regional classification for Perth would
improve the state's capacity to attract international students. When
will the Premier reinstate Perth's regional migration status and remove
the foreign buyer tax to help grow jobs?
931. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Premier:
I refer to the article titled ''Premier's
foreigner backflip'' published in The Weekend West on 19 October
2019, in which he acknowledged that a regional classification for Perth would
improve the state's capacity to attract international students. When
will the Premier reinstate Perth's regional migration status and remove
the foreign buyer tax to help grow jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
I
do not know whether the member listened, but I think I just answered his
question in relation to the foreign housing surcharge. I will answer again, because the member clearly did not hear.
The fact of the matter is that for over nearly 200 years the people of Western
Australia have provided water, power, roads, rail and all sorts of infrastructure
throughout our community. Our view is, as is every other mainland state as far
as I understand it, that there is a surcharge for foreign property purchases to
assist with the provision of that infrastructure and to pay for that
infrastructure that has been provided. If a person buys a property here, they
are the beneficiary of it. Also, because we
are a very low sovereign risk destination, probably the lowest sovereign risk
destination in the world, people pay a small premium for that. The
foreign buyer surcharge will stay in place. Today we have announced a two-year
nuancing of it for construction projects off-the-plan, which will ensure locals
and international purchasers alike are the beneficiaries of our good financial
management. That is that one.
In relation to the other issue, I think
last week, or sometime recently, I said to the house that the state government
is working cooperatively with the federal government, in particular Senator
Mathias Cormann, in relation to those issues. It is complex because the federal
government has changed a range of visa categories and the rules around them,
particularly the abolition of 457s. This has made the issue perhaps less
complex. Also, Western Australia does not have regional universities, unlike
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and recent changes by the federal
government to regional classification has made it more difficult for Western Australia.
Therefore, we are working cooperatively with the federal government on this
issue. I have been happy with the way that those discussions have progressed
and hopefully I will have more to say about that in the future.
do not know whether the member listened, but I think I just answered his
question in relation to the foreign housing surcharge. I will answer again, because the member clearly did not hear.
The fact of the matter is that for over nearly 200 years the people of Western
Australia have provided water, power, roads, rail and all sorts of infrastructure
throughout our community. Our view is, as is every other mainland state as far
as I understand it, that there is a surcharge for foreign property purchases to
assist with the provision of that infrastructure and to pay for that
infrastructure that has been provided. If a person buys a property here, they
are the beneficiary of it. Also, because we
are a very low sovereign risk destination, probably the lowest sovereign risk
destination in the world, people pay a small premium for that. The
foreign buyer surcharge will stay in place. Today we have announced a two-year
nuancing of it for construction projects off-the-plan, which will ensure locals
and international purchasers alike are the beneficiaries of our good financial
management. That is that one.
In relation to the other issue, I think
last week, or sometime recently, I said to the house that the state government
is working cooperatively with the federal government, in particular Senator
Mathias Cormann, in relation to those issues. It is complex because the federal
government has changed a range of visa categories and the rules around them,
particularly the abolition of 457s. This has made the issue perhaps less
complex. Also, Western Australia does not have regional universities, unlike
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and recent changes by the federal
government to regional classification has made it more difficult for Western Australia.
Therefore, we are working cooperatively with the federal government on this
issue. I have been happy with the way that those discussions have progressed
and hopefully I will have more to say about that in the future.
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