❓ Question regarding the impact of the $319 million social housing economic recovery package on regional jobs and businesses. The Minister provides examples of regional businesses benefiting from contracts.
AnsweredQoN 655Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOCIAL HOUSING ECONOMIC
PACKAGE — REGIONS
655. Ms J. FARRER to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's $5.5 billion recovery plan that includes a massive
investment in supporting Western Australia's building and construction
sector. Can the minister update the house on how this government's $319
million social housing economic recovery package is providing unprecedented
support for regional jobs and regional businesses?
PACKAGE — REGIONS
655. Ms J. FARRER to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's $5.5 billion recovery plan that includes a massive
investment in supporting Western Australia's building and construction
sector. Can the minister update the house on how this government's $319
million social housing economic recovery package is providing unprecedented
support for regional jobs and regional businesses?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kimberley for
the question and her enduring commitment to improving social housing throughout
the Kimberley.
The McGowan government came to
government with the ambition of ensuring that it delivers across the economic
spectrum, including the delivery of social housing. Since then, we have put
over $500 million of extra spending into social housing to improve not only the
stock, but also its availability to the most vulnerable people in our community. The latest iteration of that, members
might recall, was a $319 million social housing economic recovery package—or SHERP as they call it. On top
of that, we attended to issues in relation to affordable housing, particularly with Keystart. We put nearly $1 billion additional lending into the Keystart
loan book, taking it to about $5.2 billion worth
of lending available to Western Australians seeking home ownership with a two
per cent deposit.
The
$319 million social housing program, members might recall, was to refurbish 1 500
homes, the vast majority of which were at the end of their economic life and
were going to be disposed of. In effect, they will be turned around, and we
will get another 20-plus years out of those dwellings. We will also deliver 250
new dwellings for government housing and on top of that invest in maintenance
in 3 800 other government dwellings. As I said previously, I will be reporting
on this consistently and continually to the house to ensure that members
understand that at an electorate-by-electorate level, this is having an impact on jobs in their communities. I am proud
to say that so far 100 per cent of the work has been awarded to local
businesses. At the moment, as the program gathers steam, $800 000 worth of
contracts, particularly maintenance contracts, have been rolled out to
businesses across Western Australia. Regional Western Australia has been a significant
beneficiary from what would seem a modest investment but actually means jobs in
those communities. I will give some examples. The member for Kalgoorlie might
like to know that Bright Edge Painting in Kalgoorlie has received one of those
contracts. The member for Kimberley would like to know that a $47 000 contract
went to Boab Fencing in Broome, which is a business that has never done work
with the Department of Communities before. Of the 21 businesses that are
receiving this $800 000, seven have never before done work with the Department
of Communities; they have gained valuable experience tendering to government. It is very well received and appreciated. The
member might like to know that S&N Concreting and Constructions in Mullewa received a $70 000
contract for support to community housing up there. The Leader of the
Nationals WA might like to know that Keysite Contracting in Merredin also
received a contract. These are jobs at the local level, town by town,
electorate by electorate, right across Western Australia as we seek to deliver
the sorts of opportunities and packages that this government said it would when
it produced a $5.5 billion recovery package. It is about jobs and delivering
for all Western Australians, and we are doing it in spades.
the question and her enduring commitment to improving social housing throughout
the Kimberley.
The McGowan government came to
government with the ambition of ensuring that it delivers across the economic
spectrum, including the delivery of social housing. Since then, we have put
over $500 million of extra spending into social housing to improve not only the
stock, but also its availability to the most vulnerable people in our community. The latest iteration of that, members
might recall, was a $319 million social housing economic recovery package—or SHERP as they call it. On top
of that, we attended to issues in relation to affordable housing, particularly with Keystart. We put nearly $1 billion additional lending into the Keystart
loan book, taking it to about $5.2 billion worth
of lending available to Western Australians seeking home ownership with a two
per cent deposit.
The
$319 million social housing program, members might recall, was to refurbish 1 500
homes, the vast majority of which were at the end of their economic life and
were going to be disposed of. In effect, they will be turned around, and we
will get another 20-plus years out of those dwellings. We will also deliver 250
new dwellings for government housing and on top of that invest in maintenance
in 3 800 other government dwellings. As I said previously, I will be reporting
on this consistently and continually to the house to ensure that members
understand that at an electorate-by-electorate level, this is having an impact on jobs in their communities. I am proud
to say that so far 100 per cent of the work has been awarded to local
businesses. At the moment, as the program gathers steam, $800 000 worth of
contracts, particularly maintenance contracts, have been rolled out to
businesses across Western Australia. Regional Western Australia has been a significant
beneficiary from what would seem a modest investment but actually means jobs in
those communities. I will give some examples. The member for Kalgoorlie might
like to know that Bright Edge Painting in Kalgoorlie has received one of those
contracts. The member for Kimberley would like to know that a $47 000 contract
went to Boab Fencing in Broome, which is a business that has never done work
with the Department of Communities before. Of the 21 businesses that are
receiving this $800 000, seven have never before done work with the Department
of Communities; they have gained valuable experience tendering to government. It is very well received and appreciated. The
member might like to know that S&N Concreting and Constructions in Mullewa received a $70 000
contract for support to community housing up there. The Leader of the
Nationals WA might like to know that Keysite Contracting in Merredin also
received a contract. These are jobs at the local level, town by town,
electorate by electorate, right across Western Australia as we seek to deliver
the sorts of opportunities and packages that this government said it would when
it produced a $5.5 billion recovery package. It is about jobs and delivering
for all Western Australians, and we are doing it in spades.
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