❓ The question concerns the future of the BushChange scheme and rental subsidies for key workers in regional WA, following a perceived broken election promise. The Minister defends the government's focus on a house building program instead, citing changed financial circumstances and job creation.
AnsweredQoN 412Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUSHCHANGE
In light of the minister’s decision not to honour his election promise for rental subsidies for police, nurses, teachers and other key government workers in the regions, I ask the following question. (1) What is the future of the BushChange scheme; in particular, has the minister yet developed clear eligibility criteria to allow this scheme to commence? (2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
In light of the minister’s decision not to honour his election promise for rental subsidies for police, nurses, teachers and other key government workers in the regions, I ask the following question. (1) What is the future of the BushChange scheme; in particular, has the minister yet developed clear eligibility criteria to allow this scheme to commence? (2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(1) What is the future of the BushChange scheme; in particular, has the minister yet developed clear eligibility criteria to allow this scheme to commence? (2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(1) What is the future of the BushChange scheme; in particular, has the minister yet developed clear eligibility criteria to allow this scheme to commence? (2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(2) If so, what are these criteria and when will the grant applications be made available? (3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(3) If not, will the minister explain why he has been unable to give substance to yet another election promise? Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: (1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
(1)-(3) It is remarkable that the member for Armadale continues to oppose regional development when her shadow portfolio responsibilities mean she should do the opposite. On anybody’s reckoning in this Parliament, the past seven months have seen almost a daily rollout of our royalties for regions initiatives to the great benefit of regional Western Australia. We have done that at such a rate that I would like to pay tribute to the departmental people who worked on the plans, to my ministerial staff and to my colleagues in government who have been able to put the royalties for regions plans together. Let me just run through them for the advice of the member. There is a country local government fund of $100 million a year. There is an Ord-East Kimberley expansion project of $220 million of state money, which is being leveraged with $195 million of commonwealth money. It is an excellent example of the new spirit of cooperation between the federal and state government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : We announced this week a $300 million revitalisation for the Pilbara. The member for Pilbara has been so shocked by investment by a government in the Pilbara that he was on radio yesterday saying that if one divides the $300 million over four years through the 14 towns across the Pilbara, they each get only $3.5 million a year. The trouble is, for the benefit of the member for Pilbara, that if $300 million is divided by 14 towns over four years, the answer is $5.3 million a year. The member cannot even get it right. Point of Order Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Pilbara! The member for Victoria Park is on his feet with a point of order. I ask the member to remain silent during the point of order. Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Armadale’s question specifically related to the BushChange policy. The Leader of the National Party has wandered far and wide. Mr Speaker, I request that you bring him back to the specifics of the question asked by the member for Armadale. The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The SPEAKER : I thank the member for Victoria Park. I take the member for Victoria Park’s point of order, and I certainly would urge the minister to return to the question asked by the member for Armadale. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do that. I just find it quite remarkable that members opposite spent so much time in this Parliament opposing royalties for regions and so much time in their electorates supporting royalties for regions. For members who do that, their day will come. The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
The member for Armadale asked about the rent incentive scheme for workers. I have made very clear that there were two parts of the housing-our-workforce strategy that the National Party announced prior to the last election. The two parts of it were a house building program and a rental incentive program. The new government has made the decision that, given the current financial circumstances, the best way possible to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in regional Western Australia is to embark on the first part of the scheme, that being a house building program for government regional officer housing. We have already committed $200 million of the royalties for regions money for that. That money consists of $180 million in this year’s budget, and we are focused on that. We will not be announcing in this year’s budget a rental incentive scheme for government workers, because we are focused on the house building component of that policy. We are very happy to do that. That is the commitment we have made. We have looked at that policy in light of the changed financial circumstances and decided that the best thing we can do is to focus on this policy. Members opposite harp on all the time about creating jobs. Imagine the jobs that will be created through building 400-plus new houses for government regional officers across regional Western Australia. That is what our commitment is and that is what we are doing. As for the BushChange housing grant, if I were to be given the leniency by the house, I would run through every single royalties for regions expenditure. Members opposite do not want me to do that because they are opposed to it. The member for Armadale has got me! We have not yet announced the criteria for the BushChange housing grant. I think that is about the last project left of our election commitments. In seven months we have rolled out an absolutely fundamental change in life for the vast majority in regional Western Australia. Those opposite again and again ignored the ability to partner closely with the commonwealth to leverage money spent by the state with commonwealth money to deliver outcomes. We know it hurts members opposite, but we are getting on with the job. I congratulate the Premier for the work he did with the Prime Minister to leverage so much of the money we are spending in regional Western Australia. Well done to the Premier.
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