Mr McGowan questions Mr Buswell's handling of Aboriginal housing and Keystart interest rate increases, suggesting he lacks the capacity for the portfolio. Mr Buswell defends his actions, citing financial risks and highlighting increased housing construction.

AnsweredQoN 818Legislative Assembly
Asked
15 October 2009
Portfolio
Housing

QuestionView source ↗

KEYSTART HOME LOANS — INTEREST RATE INCREASE
I have a supplementary question. In light of the minister’s failure in Aboriginal housing and this extraordinary four-fold rate increase in rates for new Keystart borrowers, will the Treasurer now hand over the housing portfolio to a minister who has the time and energy to do it? Mr T.R. BUSWELL

AnswerView source ↗

I had the time and energy to look at the public policy settings that sit behind Keystart. I will not accept the way Keystart was heading. It was quite simply heading to be an unacceptable risk to the taxpayers of Western Australia. I think it is a fair outcome. It takes time to sit down and work out the policy reason for being involved in terms of public policy. I think it is an eminently defensible public policy decision. Let us look at many of the other initiatives in housing. I could do what members opposite did for eight years—build 256 additional houses per annum for the public housing stock. That is what they did. Under their plan it would have taken 75 years to provide the required number of public houses. Several members interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I had the time and energy to look at the public policy settings that sit behind Keystart. I will not accept the way Keystart was heading. It was quite simply heading to be an unacceptable risk to the taxpayers of Western Australia. I think it is a fair outcome. It takes time to sit down and work out the policy reason for being involved in terms of public policy. I think it is an eminently defensible public policy decision. Let us look at many of the other initiatives in housing. I could do what members opposite did for eight years—build 256 additional houses per annum for the public housing stock. That is what they did. Under their plan it would have taken 75 years to provide the required number of public houses. Several members interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.
I had the time and energy to look at the public policy settings that sit behind Keystart. I will not accept the way Keystart was heading. It was quite simply heading to be an unacceptable risk to the taxpayers of Western Australia. I think it is a fair outcome. It takes time to sit down and work out the policy reason for being involved in terms of public policy. I think it is an eminently defensible public policy decision. Let us look at many of the other initiatives in housing. I could do what members opposite did for eight years—build 256 additional houses per annum for the public housing stock. That is what they did. Under their plan it would have taken 75 years to provide the required number of public houses. Several members interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.
Let us look at many of the other initiatives in housing. I could do what members opposite did for eight years—build 256 additional houses per annum for the public housing stock. That is what they did. Under their plan it would have taken 75 years to provide the required number of public houses. Several members interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.
Several members interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : There will be 2 700 houses under construction within the next 18 months—a record delivery. There is plenty of public policy delivery in housing. I will not resign because I am enjoying it immensely.

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