❓ Ms. Hanns questions the Minister for Housing on the effectiveness of the Cook Labor government's $3.2 billion housing investment. The Minister outlines regional housing initiatives and criticises the Nationals' proposed policies.
AnsweredQoN 797Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING — SUPPLY
797. Ms J.L. HANNS to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record $3.2 billion investment to support the delivery of more housing in Western
Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is helping bolster the supply of housing across Western Australia,
including in the regions?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's sustained investment
compares with proposals by those opposite?
797. Ms J.L. HANNS to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record $3.2 billion investment to support the delivery of more housing in Western
Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is helping bolster the supply of housing across Western Australia,
including in the regions?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's sustained investment
compares with proposals by those opposite?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the
member for her question. Of course, with the local member, I visited some of
our exciting social housing projects in Collie. As the member knows, we have a laser
focus on boosting housing supply across Western Australia. We understand that
we have to tackle all parts of the equation. That includes getting more land
available out in regional markets. We understand that unlocking land in
regional communities requires stronger
government intervention and stronger government investment because some of the hurdles, particularly the cost of headworks, make it unviable to get
land out the door.
I am deeply proud of our Regional
Land Booster program. To date, it has seen 778 lots contracted across 99 projects in 83 regional towns with a combined
value of $183 million. There is direct support, and, right now, 482 residential
mixed-use lots are for sale. Our investment is unlocking land. We as a government
are also being strategic by working with local governments and other partners
to unlock projects, whether it is through our
regional community housing grants program that has allocated $50 million to the
regions to allow not-for-profits to come forward with housing projects,
working with Perdaman to unlock 170 residential lots to enable homes to be
built there rather than have people working fly-in fly-out, or working with the
Country Women's Association in Albany and providing funding to convert
holiday accommodation into transitional accommodation for people at risk of
homelessness. I was in Geraldton with the member for Geraldton to also provide
a direct grant to enable new homes to be built for workers accommodation. It
will provide a win–win by not only boosting housing supply in Geraldton
but also providing assets to City of Greater Geraldton ratepayers. It
demonstrates that we are seizing opportunities on both large-scale and
individual projects that are brought forward.
(2) Compare that
with what the Nationals WA are proposing in regional Western Australia. As we
heard our greatest friend, the Liberal candidate for Cottesloe, say at the time
of our planning reforms —
''Every home builder will
benefit from these reforms—whether they be small, medium or large.
They
are builders in regional Western Australia, of course. As we know, the
Nationals are taking a plan to the
next election that will increase red tape. The Nationals want to change the development
assessment panel system to make it three and three. That would
ultimately mean that many decisions would not be made and many decisions would
end up in the State Administrative Tribunal, just from that equation. You do not have to be a genius—you can even be
the member for Cottesloe—to understand that three and three is not going to work. Worse still, the Nationals WA want to lift the threshold on
the DAP system. This would mean that small
building companies would be forced to go back to their local governments and
have longer delays. That is the
reality of the National Party. We have heard the Nationals complain in this
chamber about red tape from local governments. The member for Roe
whinged about red tape in this chamber, yet the Nationals will take a policy to
the next election that would make it harder to get housing supply in regional Western Australia. There is a clear choice
at the next election between that side, which wants more red tape and
hurdles for housing supply, and this side, which is trying to do everything it
can to boost housing supply in regional Western Australia.
member for her question. Of course, with the local member, I visited some of
our exciting social housing projects in Collie. As the member knows, we have a laser
focus on boosting housing supply across Western Australia. We understand that
we have to tackle all parts of the equation. That includes getting more land
available out in regional markets. We understand that unlocking land in
regional communities requires stronger
government intervention and stronger government investment because some of the hurdles, particularly the cost of headworks, make it unviable to get
land out the door.
I am deeply proud of our Regional
Land Booster program. To date, it has seen 778 lots contracted across 99 projects in 83 regional towns with a combined
value of $183 million. There is direct support, and, right now, 482 residential
mixed-use lots are for sale. Our investment is unlocking land. We as a government
are also being strategic by working with local governments and other partners
to unlock projects, whether it is through our
regional community housing grants program that has allocated $50 million to the
regions to allow not-for-profits to come forward with housing projects,
working with Perdaman to unlock 170 residential lots to enable homes to be
built there rather than have people working fly-in fly-out, or working with the
Country Women's Association in Albany and providing funding to convert
holiday accommodation into transitional accommodation for people at risk of
homelessness. I was in Geraldton with the member for Geraldton to also provide
a direct grant to enable new homes to be built for workers accommodation. It
will provide a win–win by not only boosting housing supply in Geraldton
but also providing assets to City of Greater Geraldton ratepayers. It
demonstrates that we are seizing opportunities on both large-scale and
individual projects that are brought forward.
(2) Compare that
with what the Nationals WA are proposing in regional Western Australia. As we
heard our greatest friend, the Liberal candidate for Cottesloe, say at the time
of our planning reforms —
''Every home builder will
benefit from these reforms—whether they be small, medium or large.
They
are builders in regional Western Australia, of course. As we know, the
Nationals are taking a plan to the
next election that will increase red tape. The Nationals want to change the development
assessment panel system to make it three and three. That would
ultimately mean that many decisions would not be made and many decisions would
end up in the State Administrative Tribunal, just from that equation. You do not have to be a genius—you can even be
the member for Cottesloe—to understand that three and three is not going to work. Worse still, the Nationals WA want to lift the threshold on
the DAP system. This would mean that small
building companies would be forced to go back to their local governments and
have longer delays. That is the
reality of the National Party. We have heard the Nationals complain in this
chamber about red tape from local governments. The member for Roe
whinged about red tape in this chamber, yet the Nationals will take a policy to
the next election that would make it harder to get housing supply in regional Western Australia. There is a clear choice
at the next election between that side, which wants more red tape and
hurdles for housing supply, and this side, which is trying to do everything it
can to boost housing supply in regional Western Australia.
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