❓ Opposition Leader questions the Premier about the impact of the foreign investor surcharge on the housing and construction sector, citing a decline in apartment sales. The Premier defends the surcharge, highlighting increased building approvals in WA.
AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FOREIGN BUYERS SURCHARGE
324. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I refer to the government's
foreign investor surcharge that has resulted in a collapse in the number of
apartments being sold to foreign buyers from 120 in the December 2018 quarter
to 14 in the March 2019 quarter. Given the catastrophic state of the housing
and construction sector on this government's watch, why is it so
blindly pursuing a policy that is crippling the industry and destroying jobs at
a time when close to 100 000 Western Australians are unemployed?
324. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I refer to the government's
foreign investor surcharge that has resulted in a collapse in the number of
apartments being sold to foreign buyers from 120 in the December 2018 quarter
to 14 in the March 2019 quarter. Given the catastrophic state of the housing
and construction sector on this government's watch, why is it so
blindly pursuing a policy that is crippling the industry and destroying jobs at
a time when close to 100 000 Western Australians are unemployed?
AnswerView source ↗
I will just let the house know that
the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for building approvals show that in
March the total dwelling approvals increased by 3.8 per cent—the
highest increase of any state, the highest monthly increase in six years, the
fourth consecutive monthly increase and the highest quarterly growth in the
country.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : There they are,
Mr Speaker! The best performance in approvals anywhere in Australia is happening right here in Western Australia under
this government. It is true that we have brought in a foreign buyer surcharge,
just like every other mainland state in Australia. We want to make sure that
foreign property speculators pay tax in Western Australia. It is important that
we do that, but we are seeing growth in approvals in Western Australia. No
doubt, in years to come, the foreign property surcharge will be an important revenue
source for Western Australia, as it is in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
and South Australia. That is what we committed to do before the election. We
were very clear with the people of Western Australia and they voted for us on
that basis.
the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for building approvals show that in
March the total dwelling approvals increased by 3.8 per cent—the
highest increase of any state, the highest monthly increase in six years, the
fourth consecutive monthly increase and the highest quarterly growth in the
country.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : There they are,
Mr Speaker! The best performance in approvals anywhere in Australia is happening right here in Western Australia under
this government. It is true that we have brought in a foreign buyer surcharge,
just like every other mainland state in Australia. We want to make sure that
foreign property speculators pay tax in Western Australia. It is important that
we do that, but we are seeing growth in approvals in Western Australia. No
doubt, in years to come, the foreign property surcharge will be an important revenue
source for Western Australia, as it is in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
and South Australia. That is what we committed to do before the election. We
were very clear with the people of Western Australia and they voted for us on
that basis.
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