❓ Question addresses the WA government's modular build program for social housing, particularly in regional areas, and its role in overcoming housing market challenges. The Minister's answer details government efforts and criticizes opposition claims.
AnsweredQoN 180Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOCIAL HOUSING — MODULAR BUILD PROGRAM
180. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's record
investment in housing and its commitment to deliver about 3 300 new social
houses.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the modular build program is helping to
deliver more social housing across Western Australia, particularly in regional
WA?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this program is helping to overcome the
challenges currently being faced in the housing and construction market?
180. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's record
investment in housing and its commitment to deliver about 3 300 new social
houses.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the modular build program is helping to
deliver more social housing across Western Australia, particularly in regional
WA?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this program is helping to overcome the
challenges currently being faced in the housing and construction market?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Pilbara for his question.
(1)–(2)
There is no doubt that we have been facing extraordinary times during this
COVID-19 pandemic, and nowhere is that seen more than in the housing sector. It
is booming. There have been 27 000 building approvals—4 000 in the
regions. We face issues, as does every state across this country. We have a heated
construction market. We are facing supply chain issues; so, too, does every
state in this nation.
As the minister and as a government,
we have been trying to pivot any which way we can to deliver and accelerate
social housing, recognising the constraints that we are facing. Of course, that
has been through spot purchasing, through converting surplus Government
Regional Officers' Housing to social or other housing and through the timber framed and modular housing programs. I want
to grow the modular housing sector. We know that it can be faster in the
delivery of housing and social homes, because they can be built offsite, not
risking weather delays, and they can be built onsite and offsite at the same
time.
I am deeply proud that we have a commitment
of delivering 200 modular homes—150 in the regions. Last week, I announced
another 21 modular homes for delivery across our state, with $9 million worth
in the regions—two in Leonora, two
in Kalgoorlie, five in Geraldton, six in Manjimup, four in Katanning and two in Albany. That means that 36 modular homes will be delivered as part of
that program.
Remember this: the opposition claimed
that social housing was on hold. I remember the Leader of the Opposition saying
that we were not delivering any social homes. The modular program is a clear
example of where we are doing that. But I have
to say that we are constantly seeing lies by the Liberal and National Parties in relation to housing delivery.
The Leader of the Liberal Party has made claims repeatedly in the media
that only 350 homes are available in the rental market under $450. I want to be
very clear on this: that is what they have pitched. They put it in a media
statement. I think he repeated it today. What is very interesting is that they
have extracted just one part of the data to create fear. We know that the
rental market is tight, but there has been some relief in January and February
to 1.1 per cent in February. But the figure of 350 rental homes is nonsense,
because if you do a search, there are 1 256 properties, including homes, villas, apartments and the like. What they did was
simply extract houses only and ignored everything else in the rental
market. This is what we see consistently from the opposition—deliberate
approaches and strategies to mislead on these figures. The Leader of the
Opposition has said that social housing is on hold. That is not true. That is
false. At every opportunity, we are, through timber, through modular that I have
described, out there working hard to deliver social housing in Western Australia.
(1)–(2)
There is no doubt that we have been facing extraordinary times during this
COVID-19 pandemic, and nowhere is that seen more than in the housing sector. It
is booming. There have been 27 000 building approvals—4 000 in the
regions. We face issues, as does every state across this country. We have a heated
construction market. We are facing supply chain issues; so, too, does every
state in this nation.
As the minister and as a government,
we have been trying to pivot any which way we can to deliver and accelerate
social housing, recognising the constraints that we are facing. Of course, that
has been through spot purchasing, through converting surplus Government
Regional Officers' Housing to social or other housing and through the timber framed and modular housing programs. I want
to grow the modular housing sector. We know that it can be faster in the
delivery of housing and social homes, because they can be built offsite, not
risking weather delays, and they can be built onsite and offsite at the same
time.
I am deeply proud that we have a commitment
of delivering 200 modular homes—150 in the regions. Last week, I announced
another 21 modular homes for delivery across our state, with $9 million worth
in the regions—two in Leonora, two
in Kalgoorlie, five in Geraldton, six in Manjimup, four in Katanning and two in Albany. That means that 36 modular homes will be delivered as part of
that program.
Remember this: the opposition claimed
that social housing was on hold. I remember the Leader of the Opposition saying
that we were not delivering any social homes. The modular program is a clear
example of where we are doing that. But I have
to say that we are constantly seeing lies by the Liberal and National Parties in relation to housing delivery.
The Leader of the Liberal Party has made claims repeatedly in the media
that only 350 homes are available in the rental market under $450. I want to be
very clear on this: that is what they have pitched. They put it in a media
statement. I think he repeated it today. What is very interesting is that they
have extracted just one part of the data to create fear. We know that the
rental market is tight, but there has been some relief in January and February
to 1.1 per cent in February. But the figure of 350 rental homes is nonsense,
because if you do a search, there are 1 256 properties, including homes, villas, apartments and the like. What they did was
simply extract houses only and ignored everything else in the rental
market. This is what we see consistently from the opposition—deliberate
approaches and strategies to mislead on these figures. The Leader of the
Opposition has said that social housing is on hold. That is not true. That is
false. At every opportunity, we are, through timber, through modular that I have
described, out there working hard to deliver social housing in Western Australia.
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