❓ Hon Charles Smith questions the Treasurer regarding the $20,000 Building Bonus, raising concerns about its beneficiaries and alternative uses for the funds. The Treasurer defends the bonus as a stimulus measure and highlights concurrent social housing investments.
AnsweredQoN 531Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
BUILDING BONUS
531. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the minister representing the
Treasurer:
I refer to the recent announcement
that the McGowan Labor government is offering a non–means tested $20 000
subsidy for property purchasers.
(1) Can the
government confirm that $20 000 of Western Australian taxpayer money will be
available to billionaires, foreign investors and east coast property
speculators under this scheme?
(2) Does the
government concede that millions of dollars would be better spent on boosting
WA's social housing and that this
would be more equitable and far less wasteful and do far more to stimulate
construction than gifting money to those who would have purchased anyway?
BUILDING BONUS
531. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the minister representing the
Treasurer:
I refer to the recent announcement
that the McGowan Labor government is offering a non–means tested $20 000
subsidy for property purchasers.
(1) Can the
government confirm that $20 000 of Western Australian taxpayer money will be
available to billionaires, foreign investors and east coast property
speculators under this scheme?
(2) Does the
government concede that millions of dollars would be better spent on boosting
WA's social housing and that this
would be more equitable and far less wasteful and do far more to stimulate
construction than gifting money to those who would have purchased anyway?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Consistent
with the objective of stimulating activity and supporting local jobs in the
state's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government's
$20 000 building bonus will be available to anyone who chooses to build a new
detached dwelling or a new dwelling in a single-tiered strata scheme and enters into a contract between 4 June 2020 and 31 December
2020. It will be available to employ local bricklayers , carpenters,
electricians, plumbers and other Western Australian tradespeople.
(2) On 7 June
2020, the same day as the $20 000 building bonus was announced, the government
also announced a $319 million social housing economic recovery package to
build, buy, renovate and maintain social housing across the state. This
substantial investment is in addition to the 19 May 2020 announcement that the
government was bringing forward the previously approved $150 million housing
investment package.
some notice of the question.
(1) Consistent
with the objective of stimulating activity and supporting local jobs in the
state's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government's
$20 000 building bonus will be available to anyone who chooses to build a new
detached dwelling or a new dwelling in a single-tiered strata scheme and enters into a contract between 4 June 2020 and 31 December
2020. It will be available to employ local bricklayers , carpenters,
electricians, plumbers and other Western Australian tradespeople.
(2) On 7 June
2020, the same day as the $20 000 building bonus was announced, the government
also announced a $319 million social housing economic recovery package to
build, buy, renovate and maintain social housing across the state. This
substantial investment is in addition to the 19 May 2020 announcement that the
government was bringing forward the previously approved $150 million housing
investment package.
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