❓ Mr. Logan questions the Housing Minister about the high cost of renting apartments at Pelago West while government-owned apartments nearby sit vacant. The Minister defends the cost due to high market rents at the time of signing the leases, necessary to house regional public servants.
AnsweredQoN 728Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PELAGO APARTMENT COMPLEX — DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING
728. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the
Minister for Housing:
I refer to the 11 apartments rented by the government at the
Pelago West complex. How can the minister justify the government paying $660 000
a year on renting 11 apartments, while next door 28 government-owned apartments
have been sitting vacant for almost a year?
HOUSING
728. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the
Minister for Housing:
I refer to the 11 apartments rented by the government at the
Pelago West complex. How can the minister justify the government paying $660 000
a year on renting 11 apartments, while next door 28 government-owned apartments
have been sitting vacant for almost a year?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
Look, there is a time frame here —
Mr F.M. Logan : A
time and a place for everything!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Yes.
There is a time frame here. The Pelago West development was
completed some years ahead of Pelago East, and consequentially —
Ms R. Saffioti :
When did you buy?
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Mr Speaker, I am trying to answer a question from this member, but I am being
interjected on by this other member over here! It is very rude—extremely
rude!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. Member for West
Swan, I do not want to hear you.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
At the time of signing up with the private sector in terms of these apartments,
rents were very high. It is common practice for Government Regional Officers'
Housing, and I will give members some figures: 5 500 state government employees
are housed through the GROH program, and that involves 58 state departments at
more than 263 locations. We have 3 124 properties that are our own stock, but
we have to go to the private sector.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
We have to go the private sector! We have to go to the private sector—I
will say it four times!
Several members interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I
will say it five times.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Can I finish my sentence? We have to go to the private sector and lease 2 333
premises to make sure that they are available for our very important public
servants who go to the regional communities. They have the right to have the
same sort of accommodation that people in Perth have. Sometimes market rents
are high, so we have to pay the market rent or there will be no property for
the teacher, the doctor or the nurse. Surprisingly, at the time when these
leases were signed, rents in Karratha were very high.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
That is why they were very high.
Look, there is a time frame here —
Mr F.M. Logan : A
time and a place for everything!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Yes.
There is a time frame here. The Pelago West development was
completed some years ahead of Pelago East, and consequentially —
Ms R. Saffioti :
When did you buy?
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Mr Speaker, I am trying to answer a question from this member, but I am being
interjected on by this other member over here! It is very rude—extremely
rude!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. Member for West
Swan, I do not want to hear you.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
At the time of signing up with the private sector in terms of these apartments,
rents were very high. It is common practice for Government Regional Officers'
Housing, and I will give members some figures: 5 500 state government employees
are housed through the GROH program, and that involves 58 state departments at
more than 263 locations. We have 3 124 properties that are our own stock, but
we have to go to the private sector.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
We have to go the private sector! We have to go to the private sector—I
will say it four times!
Several members interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I
will say it five times.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION :
Can I finish my sentence? We have to go to the private sector and lease 2 333
premises to make sure that they are available for our very important public
servants who go to the regional communities. They have the right to have the
same sort of accommodation that people in Perth have. Sometimes market rents
are high, so we have to pay the market rent or there will be no property for
the teacher, the doctor or the nurse. Surprisingly, at the time when these
leases were signed, rents in Karratha were very high.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn!
Mr W.R. MARMION :
That is why they were very high.
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