❓ Question addresses the Cook Labor government's housing supply initiatives, with the Minister responding by highlighting growth in building approvals and contrasting the government's approach with the opposition's perceived resistance to planning reforms and density.
AnsweredQoN 122Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Housing supply
122. Mr Dan Bull to the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's ongoing efforts to bolster housing supply in Western
Australia.
(1) Can the minister advise the house how this
government's initiatives to accelerate the delivery of housing across Western
Australia is delivering strong results?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how the
government's constructive approach to build more homes differs from the
approach of those opposite?
122. Mr Dan Bull to the Minister for Housing and Works:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's ongoing efforts to bolster housing supply in Western
Australia.
(1) Can the minister advise the house how this
government's initiatives to accelerate the delivery of housing across Western
Australia is delivering strong results?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how the
government's constructive approach to build more homes differs from the
approach of those opposite?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for his
question. As a government, we are doing everything we can to accelerate the
delivery of housing in Western Australia. We have made a record investment of
$6.3 billion. An unprecedented number of measures are being undertaken. I am
pleased to note that the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics housing
data shows that Western Australia recorded a 13.2% growth in building approvals
in 2025, reporting 24,500 homes, the highest annual total since December 2021.
Most importantly, we are outpacing national growth, which was 9.2% last year. Building
approvals in WA accounted for 12.7% of total approvals across the country,
which is above our population's share of 11%. Even more important, given the
historical factors around multi-dwelling and apartment construction, is that the
number of approved multi-residential dwellings, including apartments,
townhouses and units, has jumped by 40%. This demonstrates that our initiatives
and incentives, like the infrastructure fund for apartments, are working.
Of course, we are also making
major new land available, and that is clearly targeted for multi-dwelling and
apartment living. In the last two weeks, the first two lots of the former
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children site have come onto the market; overall,
1,000 homes will be created on this site. These are long-term
projects, but they are big, they are bold and they will create high-density
precincts close to the city. This is backed by our planning reforms.
This is in contrast to the
opposition. We know that they oppose our streamlining planning reforms. Why are
those planning reforms critical? They are critical because every delay or
addition will create more holding costs, which can make or break a project. Let
us look at the opposition's history. In the first few weeks—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, please do not interject.
Mr John Carey: In the first week, around 12 March, the
Leader of the Liberal Party, who says he wants more housing, appeared before
the Western Australian Planning Commission to oppose a plan for more housing.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the Opposition, you do
not get to ask a question sitting in your seat.
Mr John Carey: They are very sensitive about this.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I have asked
you to stop interjecting. Please do not!
Mr John Carey: He says that he was just worried about
the height. I note that we will go through the extract.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: He opposed the plan for more density.
We also have the member for Carine. I want to say this about the member for Carine.
He opposed the R60 zoning, which in the codes is three storeys. If we were not
delivering three-storey zoning and if we took the policy approach of the member
for Carine, we would wipe out a large number of housing developments. Worse
still, the member for Nedlands says that we should return power to local
governments, after some of the reforms that the Liberals introduced. Can I say
this? We know this. Who in industry—who of the people actually
delivering housing—is advocating that position? Because the Urban
Development Institute of Australia is not; the Property Council is not; the MBA
is not, the Housing Industry Association is not. So, none of the bodies that
represent the companies who deliver housing are taking the position of the WA
Liberals. Again, I come back to this statement and it is telling. I will, at
every speech to every industry group, remind them of the opposition's hypocrisy—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, I call you to order for
the first time.
Mr John Carey: I will remind them that when the Leader
of the Liberal Party goes out to events, he goes to residents' groups and says,
"I'm against density". Then he goes to industry groups and says,
"I'm pro density".
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members.
Mr John Carey: This Liberal leader—
Mr Basil Zempilas: You can just make stuff up,
can you? Is that what you can do, is it, in here?
Mr John Carey: It is not. It is on the record.
The Speaker: Members. Leader of the Opposition.
Several members
interjected.
Mr John Carey: I have got a fish; I am reeling him in!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition. Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Minister, sit
please. Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Member for Vasse, I call you to order for the second time. You do not engage in
conversation across the chamber. Minister—
Mr John Carey: I am not saying this—
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I have a point of order. A number
of ministers on the front bench have been engaging in interjections from the
opposition and I note that only members of the opposition have been called to
order.
The Speaker: What is your point of order?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: The interjections from the front
bench need to be called to order.
The Speaker: Thank you. There is no point of order
there. I am not upholding that.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members. Goodness me! What is going on?
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: No. Leader of the Opposition, I am
calling you for the third time. You do not speak when I am speaking. People
behind and above me love what is going on in here. It is a sad reflection on
the Parliament the way you are all behaving. This is what they are going to
report in the media and it is not a good look. It reflects badly on all of us.
Minister, have you finished your remarks?
Questions without notice resumed
Mr John Carey: Of course, I am not saying this; it is
not just me who is saying this. It is industry and the housing industry. I
refer again to what the Property Council in a letter to the Liberal leader
wrote and these words are powerful:
… your party's public
commentary is sending a strong signal to the property sector and community that
the Liberal Party is now ideologically opposed to the construction of
desperately-needed infill housing projects, and is at odds with the businesses
and the professionals who design, develop, finance and construct them.
That is based on the
commentary of the member for Carine. That is based on the commentary of the member
for Nedlands. That is based on the commentary of the member for Churchlands.
Industry is saying they are out of step. They do not support density in
housing. They are standing in the way of it.
question. As a government, we are doing everything we can to accelerate the
delivery of housing in Western Australia. We have made a record investment of
$6.3 billion. An unprecedented number of measures are being undertaken. I am
pleased to note that the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics housing
data shows that Western Australia recorded a 13.2% growth in building approvals
in 2025, reporting 24,500 homes, the highest annual total since December 2021.
Most importantly, we are outpacing national growth, which was 9.2% last year. Building
approvals in WA accounted for 12.7% of total approvals across the country,
which is above our population's share of 11%. Even more important, given the
historical factors around multi-dwelling and apartment construction, is that the
number of approved multi-residential dwellings, including apartments,
townhouses and units, has jumped by 40%. This demonstrates that our initiatives
and incentives, like the infrastructure fund for apartments, are working.
Of course, we are also making
major new land available, and that is clearly targeted for multi-dwelling and
apartment living. In the last two weeks, the first two lots of the former
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children site have come onto the market; overall,
1,000 homes will be created on this site. These are long-term
projects, but they are big, they are bold and they will create high-density
precincts close to the city. This is backed by our planning reforms.
This is in contrast to the
opposition. We know that they oppose our streamlining planning reforms. Why are
those planning reforms critical? They are critical because every delay or
addition will create more holding costs, which can make or break a project. Let
us look at the opposition's history. In the first few weeks—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, please do not interject.
Mr John Carey: In the first week, around 12 March, the
Leader of the Liberal Party, who says he wants more housing, appeared before
the Western Australian Planning Commission to oppose a plan for more housing.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the Opposition, you do
not get to ask a question sitting in your seat.
Mr John Carey: They are very sensitive about this.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, I have asked
you to stop interjecting. Please do not!
Mr John Carey: He says that he was just worried about
the height. I note that we will go through the extract.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: He opposed the plan for more density.
We also have the member for Carine. I want to say this about the member for Carine.
He opposed the R60 zoning, which in the codes is three storeys. If we were not
delivering three-storey zoning and if we took the policy approach of the member
for Carine, we would wipe out a large number of housing developments. Worse
still, the member for Nedlands says that we should return power to local
governments, after some of the reforms that the Liberals introduced. Can I say
this? We know this. Who in industry—who of the people actually
delivering housing—is advocating that position? Because the Urban
Development Institute of Australia is not; the Property Council is not; the MBA
is not, the Housing Industry Association is not. So, none of the bodies that
represent the companies who deliver housing are taking the position of the WA
Liberals. Again, I come back to this statement and it is telling. I will, at
every speech to every industry group, remind them of the opposition's hypocrisy—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, I call you to order for
the first time.
Mr John Carey: I will remind them that when the Leader
of the Liberal Party goes out to events, he goes to residents' groups and says,
"I'm against density". Then he goes to industry groups and says,
"I'm pro density".
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members.
Mr John Carey: This Liberal leader—
Mr Basil Zempilas: You can just make stuff up,
can you? Is that what you can do, is it, in here?
Mr John Carey: It is not. It is on the record.
The Speaker: Members. Leader of the Opposition.
Several members
interjected.
Mr John Carey: I have got a fish; I am reeling him in!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition. Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Minister, sit
please. Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Member for Vasse, I call you to order for the second time. You do not engage in
conversation across the chamber. Minister—
Mr John Carey: I am not saying this—
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I have a point of order. A number
of ministers on the front bench have been engaging in interjections from the
opposition and I note that only members of the opposition have been called to
order.
The Speaker: What is your point of order?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: The interjections from the front
bench need to be called to order.
The Speaker: Thank you. There is no point of order
there. I am not upholding that.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members. Goodness me! What is going on?
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: No. Leader of the Opposition, I am
calling you for the third time. You do not speak when I am speaking. People
behind and above me love what is going on in here. It is a sad reflection on
the Parliament the way you are all behaving. This is what they are going to
report in the media and it is not a good look. It reflects badly on all of us.
Minister, have you finished your remarks?
Questions without notice resumed
Mr John Carey: Of course, I am not saying this; it is
not just me who is saying this. It is industry and the housing industry. I
refer again to what the Property Council in a letter to the Liberal leader
wrote and these words are powerful:
… your party's public
commentary is sending a strong signal to the property sector and community that
the Liberal Party is now ideologically opposed to the construction of
desperately-needed infill housing projects, and is at odds with the businesses
and the professionals who design, develop, finance and construct them.
That is based on the
commentary of the member for Carine. That is based on the commentary of the member
for Nedlands. That is based on the commentary of the member for Churchlands.
Industry is saying they are out of step. They do not support density in
housing. They are standing in the way of it.
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