❓ A Labor MP asks the Minister for Planning about the government's planning reforms and their impact on housing delivery. The Minister touts the reforms and criticizes the opposition's lack of a plan.
AnsweredQoN 867Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLANNING
REFORM
867. Mrs M.R. MARSHALL to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's nation-leading
reforms to planning frameworks.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's commitment to cutting
red tape is supporting the delivery of new homes?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of any risks to Western Australia's
ability to deliver successful reforms such as these?
REFORM
867. Mrs M.R. MARSHALL to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's nation-leading
reforms to planning frameworks.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's commitment to cutting
red tape is supporting the delivery of new homes?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of any risks to Western Australia's
ability to deliver successful reforms such as these?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank
the member for her question. As I have said multiple times in this place, we
are acutely aware of the pressures in both
the housing and rental markets, and every state in the country is facing the
same time challenges. But it is acknowledged by a range of stakeholders
that Western Australia has been leading the way in planning reform. There is
this basic understanding that every delay and any significant hurdle can increase the holding cost for a development
and make or break it. That is why it is critical that we have a strong
planning system that provides transparency, clarity and efficiency for all
stakeholders involved.
I have to say that our reforms are
significant, including, of course, our reforms in relation to streamlining for
major projects over $20 million, consolidating the development assessment panel
system and having full-time DAP members to
remove any allegations regarding conflicts of interest. We have also
streamlined approvals for single homes, which is critically important.
Probably our most popular—it always goes off on social media; I do not
know why—is granny flats. If you say the term ''granny flat'',
people get excited. We have cut red tape for granny flats, which has seen,
according to media reports, a 500 per cent increase in uptake. That is our
reform program. Again, we understand that at every opportunity we need to
ensure that we are not holding back critical, sensible housing development in Western
Australia.
(2) That is different from the WA Liberals. Of course,
as we know, Hon Steve Martin has been put under the pump and has been
tested regularly about what the Liberals are going to do on planning reform. We
know what the Nationals WA are going to do. They are going to increase red tape
for workers' accommodation and housing in the regions. Their reforms
will result in more decision-making ending up in the State Administrative Tribunal system. The Liberals have no plan at all.
They have been running and hiding on these issues, but that does not
stop the current Liberal leader from making big claims. I refer to a story in The
West Australian —this is not from me—that states —
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said
Tuesday that a Government she led could deliver more homes than Labor, but repeatedly failed to put a number on how many
homes they would get built.
This
is quite interesting. There is no plan at all! That is not me summarising that;
that is The West Australian . What we are seeing on TikTok and social
media is the Liberals talking the big game. They are really talking the
big game, but when they are asked for any detail or any policy, they say, ''I
dunno. I'm sorry; it's not here. I'll tell you sometime
later.''
Can we be realistic about this? We
are three months from an election and what we have seen in the last 24 hours is
outright warfare. A leading aspiring Liberal candidate, Basil Zempilas, has for
months been undermining the Liberal leader
at every opportunity and telling anyone that he wants to be the Liberal leader and he can do a better job. This is the telling thing: the last 24 hours has
not shocked or surprised anyone. Everyone knew it was coming because we had
heard it, including upper house Liberal MPs who were, unfortunately, saying
disparaging comments about the Liberal leader. I will say this. The other side
is not fit to govern. Members opposite are focused on themselves. They are
focused on infighting and, because of that,
they are not developing housing policies or plans. This side has a clear plan.
We are out there every week rolling out initiatives for how we are going
to boost supply. I do not think any Western Australian would look to the
Liberal Party over the last 24 hours and say this —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Deputy Premier!
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry; I am
giving the call to the minister, who is wrapping up his answer.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The Liberal
leader just stated right then that they are united. Can I just be clear. Any
observer, even anyone who does not engage in politics, who saw the last 24
hours would say that a party that is focused on itself and is tearing itself
apart over leadership ambitions is simply not fit to govern.
the member for her question. As I have said multiple times in this place, we
are acutely aware of the pressures in both
the housing and rental markets, and every state in the country is facing the
same time challenges. But it is acknowledged by a range of stakeholders
that Western Australia has been leading the way in planning reform. There is
this basic understanding that every delay and any significant hurdle can increase the holding cost for a development
and make or break it. That is why it is critical that we have a strong
planning system that provides transparency, clarity and efficiency for all
stakeholders involved.
I have to say that our reforms are
significant, including, of course, our reforms in relation to streamlining for
major projects over $20 million, consolidating the development assessment panel
system and having full-time DAP members to
remove any allegations regarding conflicts of interest. We have also
streamlined approvals for single homes, which is critically important.
Probably our most popular—it always goes off on social media; I do not
know why—is granny flats. If you say the term ''granny flat'',
people get excited. We have cut red tape for granny flats, which has seen,
according to media reports, a 500 per cent increase in uptake. That is our
reform program. Again, we understand that at every opportunity we need to
ensure that we are not holding back critical, sensible housing development in Western
Australia.
(2) That is different from the WA Liberals. Of course,
as we know, Hon Steve Martin has been put under the pump and has been
tested regularly about what the Liberals are going to do on planning reform. We
know what the Nationals WA are going to do. They are going to increase red tape
for workers' accommodation and housing in the regions. Their reforms
will result in more decision-making ending up in the State Administrative Tribunal system. The Liberals have no plan at all.
They have been running and hiding on these issues, but that does not
stop the current Liberal leader from making big claims. I refer to a story in The
West Australian —this is not from me—that states —
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said
Tuesday that a Government she led could deliver more homes than Labor, but repeatedly failed to put a number on how many
homes they would get built.
This
is quite interesting. There is no plan at all! That is not me summarising that;
that is The West Australian . What we are seeing on TikTok and social
media is the Liberals talking the big game. They are really talking the
big game, but when they are asked for any detail or any policy, they say, ''I
dunno. I'm sorry; it's not here. I'll tell you sometime
later.''
Can we be realistic about this? We
are three months from an election and what we have seen in the last 24 hours is
outright warfare. A leading aspiring Liberal candidate, Basil Zempilas, has for
months been undermining the Liberal leader
at every opportunity and telling anyone that he wants to be the Liberal leader and he can do a better job. This is the telling thing: the last 24 hours has
not shocked or surprised anyone. Everyone knew it was coming because we had
heard it, including upper house Liberal MPs who were, unfortunately, saying
disparaging comments about the Liberal leader. I will say this. The other side
is not fit to govern. Members opposite are focused on themselves. They are
focused on infighting and, because of that,
they are not developing housing policies or plans. This side has a clear plan.
We are out there every week rolling out initiatives for how we are going
to boost supply. I do not think any Western Australian would look to the
Liberal Party over the last 24 hours and say this —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Deputy Premier!
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry; I am
giving the call to the minister, who is wrapping up his answer.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The Liberal
leader just stated right then that they are united. Can I just be clear. Any
observer, even anyone who does not engage in politics, who saw the last 24
hours would say that a party that is focused on itself and is tearing itself
apart over leadership ambitions is simply not fit to govern.
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