❓ Opposition asks about the number and cost of policy taskforces under the current and previous administrations, and when the government will address cost of living, health, and crime. The government denies the housing unit is a taskforce and defends its record on these issues.
AnsweredQoN 1404Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
POLICY TASKFORCES
1404. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the Leader of the House representing
the Premier:
I refer to the recently announced
housing supply unit.
(1) How many
other policy taskforces have been established under the McGowan and Cook
administrations?
(2) What is the cost of these
taskforces?
(3) When can Western
Australians expect to see this government take action on other issues affecting
them, such as reducing the cost of living, fixing the broken health system and
keeping repeat violent offenders behind bars?
1404. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the Leader of the House representing
the Premier:
I refer to the recently announced
housing supply unit.
(1) How many
other policy taskforces have been established under the McGowan and Cook
administrations?
(2) What is the cost of these
taskforces?
(3) When can Western
Australians expect to see this government take action on other issues affecting
them, such as reducing the cost of living, fixing the broken health system and
keeping repeat violent offenders behind bars?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
housing supply unit is part of the Department of Treasury. It is not a taskforce.
I note that peak bodies and representatives of the housing sector in WA have
welcomed the establishment of the housing supply unit, with the CEO of the Real
Estate Institute of Western Australia saying —
''A
specific unit actively monitoring factors like market data, population growth
and the economy will help develop responsive and proactive policy �
''The
Government has clearly recognised the effect housing supply is having on the
market. It has already announced several initiatives to boost supply and
we commend this additional action.''
(3) This Labor
government's support for Western Australians is incomparable to the
neglect shown by the Liberals and Nationals WA. Under this Labor government,
thousands of dollars of cost-of-living support, including four household
electricity credits, have been provided to households, funding for WA's
health system has increased by over 30 per cent and over 3 000 additional
nurses and 1 400 additional doctors have been employed. In addition, over 400
additional police officers have been employed and the number of reported
criminal offences has decreased by 12 per cent in 2022 compared with 2016.
When the Liberals and Nationals were last
in government, they oversaw record increases to household fees and charges, a decrease
in the number of nurses and frontline health workers in our hospitals and
record levels of crime.
member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
housing supply unit is part of the Department of Treasury. It is not a taskforce.
I note that peak bodies and representatives of the housing sector in WA have
welcomed the establishment of the housing supply unit, with the CEO of the Real
Estate Institute of Western Australia saying —
''A
specific unit actively monitoring factors like market data, population growth
and the economy will help develop responsive and proactive policy �
''The
Government has clearly recognised the effect housing supply is having on the
market. It has already announced several initiatives to boost supply and
we commend this additional action.''
(3) This Labor
government's support for Western Australians is incomparable to the
neglect shown by the Liberals and Nationals WA. Under this Labor government,
thousands of dollars of cost-of-living support, including four household
electricity credits, have been provided to households, funding for WA's
health system has increased by over 30 per cent and over 3 000 additional
nurses and 1 400 additional doctors have been employed. In addition, over 400
additional police officers have been employed and the number of reported
criminal offences has decreased by 12 per cent in 2022 compared with 2016.
When the Liberals and Nationals were last
in government, they oversaw record increases to household fees and charges, a decrease
in the number of nurses and frontline health workers in our hospitals and
record levels of crime.
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