❓ Ms. Egan questions the Minister on the Cook Labor government's social housing delivery, particularly the Fraser Suites purchase. The Minister defends the government's record investment and criticizes the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 447Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Fraser Suites Tower—Social housing
447. Ms Colleen Egan to
the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's record $105 million purchase of Fraser Suites Tower for
social housing.
(1) How is the Cook Labor government leading the
delivery of new social and affordable housing in Western Australia?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone who does not
support this delivery?
447. Ms Colleen Egan to
the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's record $105 million purchase of Fraser Suites Tower for
social housing.
(1) How is the Cook Labor government leading the
delivery of new social and affordable housing in Western Australia?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone who does not
support this delivery?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for her
question. I am really proud that since 2021 our state government has made a
record investment of $5.8 billion in social housing, affordable housing and
homelessness programs, with a housing target of just over 5,800 social homes and
more than 3,500 delivered to date. To get those kinds of delivery figures, you
have to be innovative and think outside the box. I am really proud of our state government's big and bold decision to invest $105 million
to purchase Fraser Suites. I have to say that it was praised by all the
major stakeholders because we are converting short-stay accommodation into long-term
housing and providing another means to accelerate the quick supply of housing.
I note that the Western
Australian Property Council applauded our efforts, Shelter WA said that it was
a game-changing purchase and Anglicare, whose offices are right across the
road, welcomed the bold move. We are getting on with the job of converting that
accommodation into long-term housing. Local and registered Aboriginal business Kardan
Construction has commenced stage 1 of the refurbishment at the site. We
established a stakeholder reference group with local residents and businesses
to ensure a smooth and integrated approach with the precinct and we appointed a
commercial tenancy agent to activate and liven up the commercial spaces. We
will be making announcements with regard to that soon.
It surprises me—well, it
does not really—that the opposition has it all ways. I note that the Leader
of the Liberal Party in one moment supported it and in another commentary
criticised it. This is what we are seeing now as an ongoing trend. Depending on
who the Liberal is, or sometimes it is just the same person, they say different
things. We are seeing this now as a regular pattern. Why is that? It is because
when the Liberal Party has no policies, it has a vacuum and it is constantly on
the run. It took me by surprise what Hon Simon Ehrenfeld said and asked,
remembering that the Liberal Party took no social housing policy to the last
election. One of the first questions I got from the member was:
Will any emphasis or
consideration be placed on river or city views when determining which
apartments are allocated for social housing and which apartments are offered to
the rental market as affordable housing?
The Liberal Party's key concern
is that the poor people do not get good views. That is what they are stating.
It is a classic Liberal approach to social housing. The second part of the
question was:
Has the government assessed the
effect on property values that this project will have on existing properties in
the immediate area?
It was not a concern about
housing people or about people doing it tough; what they are worried about is
real estate values. I can tell members this: in this market, everything is
going up. Apartments are going out the door; there is very strong interest. But
it is telling, because, ultimately, that side of politics does not care. The
Leader of the Liberal Party shut down a women's shelter. The new housing
spokesperson feigns interest in low-income renters, yet when that party had the
chance, it voted against renters' rights and tenants' protections in the last
Parliament. They are all over the place. Ultimately, it is about values. That
side does not care. This side has a genuine commitment to accelerating the
delivery of social and affordable housing. Our funding and investment in projects
like Fraser Suites shows that.
question. I am really proud that since 2021 our state government has made a
record investment of $5.8 billion in social housing, affordable housing and
homelessness programs, with a housing target of just over 5,800 social homes and
more than 3,500 delivered to date. To get those kinds of delivery figures, you
have to be innovative and think outside the box. I am really proud of our state government's big and bold decision to invest $105 million
to purchase Fraser Suites. I have to say that it was praised by all the
major stakeholders because we are converting short-stay accommodation into long-term
housing and providing another means to accelerate the quick supply of housing.
I note that the Western
Australian Property Council applauded our efforts, Shelter WA said that it was
a game-changing purchase and Anglicare, whose offices are right across the
road, welcomed the bold move. We are getting on with the job of converting that
accommodation into long-term housing. Local and registered Aboriginal business Kardan
Construction has commenced stage 1 of the refurbishment at the site. We
established a stakeholder reference group with local residents and businesses
to ensure a smooth and integrated approach with the precinct and we appointed a
commercial tenancy agent to activate and liven up the commercial spaces. We
will be making announcements with regard to that soon.
It surprises me—well, it
does not really—that the opposition has it all ways. I note that the Leader
of the Liberal Party in one moment supported it and in another commentary
criticised it. This is what we are seeing now as an ongoing trend. Depending on
who the Liberal is, or sometimes it is just the same person, they say different
things. We are seeing this now as a regular pattern. Why is that? It is because
when the Liberal Party has no policies, it has a vacuum and it is constantly on
the run. It took me by surprise what Hon Simon Ehrenfeld said and asked,
remembering that the Liberal Party took no social housing policy to the last
election. One of the first questions I got from the member was:
Will any emphasis or
consideration be placed on river or city views when determining which
apartments are allocated for social housing and which apartments are offered to
the rental market as affordable housing?
The Liberal Party's key concern
is that the poor people do not get good views. That is what they are stating.
It is a classic Liberal approach to social housing. The second part of the
question was:
Has the government assessed the
effect on property values that this project will have on existing properties in
the immediate area?
It was not a concern about
housing people or about people doing it tough; what they are worried about is
real estate values. I can tell members this: in this market, everything is
going up. Apartments are going out the door; there is very strong interest. But
it is telling, because, ultimately, that side of politics does not care. The
Leader of the Liberal Party shut down a women's shelter. The new housing
spokesperson feigns interest in low-income renters, yet when that party had the
chance, it voted against renters' rights and tenants' protections in the last
Parliament. They are all over the place. Ultimately, it is about values. That
side does not care. This side has a genuine commitment to accelerating the
delivery of social and affordable housing. Our funding and investment in projects
like Fraser Suites shows that.
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