❓ Dr. Honey questions the Minister for Housing's responsiveness to developers versus the lack of building standards protecting public amenity in medium density zones. The Minister defends the government's actions, citing Design WA and highlighting conflicting views within the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 569Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOUSING — MEDIUM
DENSITY — R30 TO R40 ZONES
569. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Housing:
I
have a supplementary question. Why is it that the minister can hear and
immediately act upon developers' concerns , but he has
consistently failed to introduce any building standards that protect public
amenity?
DENSITY — R30 TO R40 ZONES
569. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Housing:
I
have a supplementary question. Why is it that the minister can hear and
immediately act upon developers' concerns , but he has
consistently failed to introduce any building standards that protect public
amenity?
AnswerView source ↗
There are two interesting elements
here. First of all, our state government has brought in greater design codes— Design WA; in fact, I worked on them personally as
parliamentary secretary to the minister at the time. The minister brought in sweeping design changes to improve high-density projects. Any member
in this Parliament will tell the member for Cottesloe that was the primary
concern of the community. It was introduced at a time when the market was not
facing the same cost pressures. Does the member know who welcomed my decision
on medium density codes? All of the key people delivering housing, and someone
else—Hon Neil Thomson, the Liberal spokesperson for planning! I am very
perplexed. Here we have the member for Cottesloe criticising me on this
decision, and yet his planning spokesperson absolutely welcomed it on the
public record. This is an extraordinary situation—I had that in my back
pocket, I was not going to use it in the first part of the response. This is a very
clear example of this opposition and its inability to have a basic policy
position. The member for Cottesloe criticised my decision to assist with
affordable housing, yet the planning spokesperson in the other house welcomed
it. They are all over the place. They have no clear position on housing supply
in Western Australia. It is very clear that the member for Cottesloe is
completely out of step with his own colleague who is responsible for planning
in the opposition.
here. First of all, our state government has brought in greater design codes— Design WA; in fact, I worked on them personally as
parliamentary secretary to the minister at the time. The minister brought in sweeping design changes to improve high-density projects. Any member
in this Parliament will tell the member for Cottesloe that was the primary
concern of the community. It was introduced at a time when the market was not
facing the same cost pressures. Does the member know who welcomed my decision
on medium density codes? All of the key people delivering housing, and someone
else—Hon Neil Thomson, the Liberal spokesperson for planning! I am very
perplexed. Here we have the member for Cottesloe criticising me on this
decision, and yet his planning spokesperson absolutely welcomed it on the
public record. This is an extraordinary situation—I had that in my back
pocket, I was not going to use it in the first part of the response. This is a very
clear example of this opposition and its inability to have a basic policy
position. The member for Cottesloe criticised my decision to assist with
affordable housing, yet the planning spokesperson in the other house welcomed
it. They are all over the place. They have no clear position on housing supply
in Western Australia. It is very clear that the member for Cottesloe is
completely out of step with his own colleague who is responsible for planning
in the opposition.
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