❓ Opposition questions the Premier on declining stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers amidst a housing and cost-of-living crisis. The Premier defends the government's record, highlighting cost-of-living relief, increased thresholds, land supply, job creation, and fee-free TAFE.
AnsweredQoN 891Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIRST HOME BUYERS — STAMP DUTY EXEMPTIONS
891. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would like to put on record my
concern for the people of the Shire of Dandaragan and especially the township
of Cervantes who are under threat from fire. I also note the situation in my
electorate at West Toodyay where another fire emergency is unfolding. To all
those firefighters and everybody in those areas, please keep safe.
I refer to answers from the
Minister for Commerce this week that expose the government's
abandonment of first home buyers during the crippling housing crisis and
to reports in The West Australian today detailing how the cost-of-living
crisis is pushing young people to breaking point.
(1) How can
the Premier defend his government's inaccessible support for first home
buyers with the number of those receiving stamp duty exemptions collapsing from
nearly 9 000 in 2021–22 to just 4 000 last financial year?
(2) By
refusing to raise the stamp duty exemption threshold to at least keep pace with
the median house price, is the government turning its back on first home buyers
and young families in Western Australia?
891. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would like to put on record my
concern for the people of the Shire of Dandaragan and especially the township
of Cervantes who are under threat from fire. I also note the situation in my
electorate at West Toodyay where another fire emergency is unfolding. To all
those firefighters and everybody in those areas, please keep safe.
I refer to answers from the
Minister for Commerce this week that expose the government's
abandonment of first home buyers during the crippling housing crisis and
to reports in The West Australian today detailing how the cost-of-living
crisis is pushing young people to breaking point.
(1) How can
the Premier defend his government's inaccessible support for first home
buyers with the number of those receiving stamp duty exemptions collapsing from
nearly 9 000 in 2021–22 to just 4 000 last financial year?
(2) By
refusing to raise the stamp duty exemption threshold to at least keep pace with
the median house price, is the government turning its back on first home buyers
and young families in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and join all members of Parliament in extending our thoughts to members of the
community who are vulnerable to bushfires today and to the great firefighters,
both career and volunteer, who are involved in combating those blazes. It
provides us with another reminder that summer is upon us. Please, everyone,
make sure you get a bushfire plan prepared, if you can; make sure you are
ready. It is going to be another hot summer.
(1)–(2) I turn to the member's question. I think
the community of Western Australia knows that no other government in
Australia has done more for cost-of-living pressures than my government. In
addition, everyone knows that no other government has put more measures in
place to support young and first home buyers to get a roof over their head. It
starts off with our stamp duty exemption for purchases off the plan and making
sure people can be part of some of our great department developments taking
place across the length and breadth of the metropolitan area and the state.
Members will note the changes we made in the budget for first home buyers
exemptions and concessions for purchases. We increased the threshold to make
sure that more homes are captured under those arrangements so that first home
buyers have the opportunity to get into an existing dwelling. Of course, we know
that the best way we can continue to build capacity in the real estate market
is to build supply, which is why we have made so much land available for
property developers to bring more supply onstream. That includes 8 000 hectares
of land that is in and around our transformative Metronet infrastructure
projects. That means that for the first time ever people have the opportunity to get into a unit or smaller
townhouse in an area that is serviced by our great Metronet network.
In addition, we know that the best
way to help a young person, to give them an opportunity, is to give them a job—a
good, well-paying and secure job. My government has been absolutely focused on
making sure that we have the jobs for young people—over 320 000 jobs
created since we came into government in 2017—and of course our
fee-free TAFE provides an opportunity for young people to get a trade or a qualification
so they can get the savings and the deposit they need to get into their first
home. That is why we created fee-free TAFEs. It means that we can really target
the opportunities for young people, such as enrolled nurses, to get those
trades. Under the previous government, they would have had to pay up to $10 000
to get that qualification. Under my government, it is free! That means that we
are sending the right signals to these people—continue to back
themselves, get into TAFE, undertake some of our free courses, get a great job,
get a roof over their head and get a start in life.
We know that it is hard out there in
the community, but we know we have a great opportunity. Because we have kept
the finances strong, we can provide cost-of-living relief. We can provide
fee-free courses. Let us contrast that to those on the other side of the house.
When they were in government, they destroyed the state's finances;
there was debt and deficit as far as the eye could see. As a result, they hiked
up fees and charges and land tax. They increased utilities by 93 per cent. They
increased fees for some TAFE courses by 500 per cent! They dealt an entire
generation of Western Australians out of the economic equation. The fact of the
matter is that my government is absolutely laser focused on making sure we give young people the opportunity to get a job,
making sure we have the policies so they can get their first home , and
making sure they have an economy in which they can continue to thrive—the
strongest economy in Australia and the best lifestyle in Australia.
and join all members of Parliament in extending our thoughts to members of the
community who are vulnerable to bushfires today and to the great firefighters,
both career and volunteer, who are involved in combating those blazes. It
provides us with another reminder that summer is upon us. Please, everyone,
make sure you get a bushfire plan prepared, if you can; make sure you are
ready. It is going to be another hot summer.
(1)–(2) I turn to the member's question. I think
the community of Western Australia knows that no other government in
Australia has done more for cost-of-living pressures than my government. In
addition, everyone knows that no other government has put more measures in
place to support young and first home buyers to get a roof over their head. It
starts off with our stamp duty exemption for purchases off the plan and making
sure people can be part of some of our great department developments taking
place across the length and breadth of the metropolitan area and the state.
Members will note the changes we made in the budget for first home buyers
exemptions and concessions for purchases. We increased the threshold to make
sure that more homes are captured under those arrangements so that first home
buyers have the opportunity to get into an existing dwelling. Of course, we know
that the best way we can continue to build capacity in the real estate market
is to build supply, which is why we have made so much land available for
property developers to bring more supply onstream. That includes 8 000 hectares
of land that is in and around our transformative Metronet infrastructure
projects. That means that for the first time ever people have the opportunity to get into a unit or smaller
townhouse in an area that is serviced by our great Metronet network.
In addition, we know that the best
way to help a young person, to give them an opportunity, is to give them a job—a
good, well-paying and secure job. My government has been absolutely focused on
making sure that we have the jobs for young people—over 320 000 jobs
created since we came into government in 2017—and of course our
fee-free TAFE provides an opportunity for young people to get a trade or a qualification
so they can get the savings and the deposit they need to get into their first
home. That is why we created fee-free TAFEs. It means that we can really target
the opportunities for young people, such as enrolled nurses, to get those
trades. Under the previous government, they would have had to pay up to $10 000
to get that qualification. Under my government, it is free! That means that we
are sending the right signals to these people—continue to back
themselves, get into TAFE, undertake some of our free courses, get a great job,
get a roof over their head and get a start in life.
We know that it is hard out there in
the community, but we know we have a great opportunity. Because we have kept
the finances strong, we can provide cost-of-living relief. We can provide
fee-free courses. Let us contrast that to those on the other side of the house.
When they were in government, they destroyed the state's finances;
there was debt and deficit as far as the eye could see. As a result, they hiked
up fees and charges and land tax. They increased utilities by 93 per cent. They
increased fees for some TAFE courses by 500 per cent! They dealt an entire
generation of Western Australians out of the economic equation. The fact of the
matter is that my government is absolutely laser focused on making sure we give young people the opportunity to get a job,
making sure we have the policies so they can get their first home , and
making sure they have an economy in which they can continue to thrive—the
strongest economy in Australia and the best lifestyle in Australia.
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