❓ Question regarding the Cook Labor government's $3.2 billion housing investment and its impact on regional WA housing supply. The Minister's response details a Busselton project and criticises the Member for Vasse's perceived lack of support.
AnsweredQoN 847Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOCIAL HOUSING —
SUPPLY
847. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the rollout of the Cook
Labor government's $3.2 billion housing and social housing investment.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is increasing housing supply
across regional Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who does not support
the delivery of more housing?
SUPPLY
847. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Housing:
I refer to the rollout of the Cook
Labor government's $3.2 billion housing and social housing investment.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this investment is increasing housing supply
across regional Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who does not support
the delivery of more housing?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for her question. As I have
said numerous times in this house, the government is deeply cognisant of
the pressures in both the housing and rental markets. We take the matter very
seriously and we are throwing everything at it to boost housing supply across
the continuum from greenfield sites to social housing to affordable rentals
right through to medium to high-density housing. Every additional home matters
and counts for Western Australians.
Last week, it was a pleasure to
announce a new project in regional Western Australia, and that is part of our housing diversity pipeline. It is a 30-dwelling
community housing project that will be built in Busselton . It will
deliver 16 social and 14 affordable rentals. This is a big site of 2 000 square
metres. I think it will be a four-storey development. It is about maximising
lazy government land. Our preferred proponent will be Housing Choices WA. It
would be built to silver liveable home standards. This is a demonstration of
how we are trying to get innovative projects not just in the city or the Perth
metropolitan area, but also outside of Perth
in regional Western Australia. Just as a side note, we have also done a land
transaction with the Shire of Narrogin, with a 50 per cent discount for
crown land, to assist with new housing development there. We have a message to
regional Western Australia: we are open for business and we want to work with
you to facilitate new housing.
I note that to date we have not heard
anything from the member for Vasse—silence. We would think that as the
local member she might welcome a new social and affordable housing project. The
silence may be an indication that she does not want social and affordable
housing in her own backyard. The rhetorical question is: does the member for
Vasse resolutely and absolutely support a four-storey social housing development
in her community?
Ms L. Mettam : Yes.
Mr J.N. CAREY : That does not
sound convincing at all. I look forward to this project going out to —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The member
for Vasse is very agitated and I understand that.
I look forward to the community
consultation going out and the member for Vasse will be resolutely —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY : I look
forward to her —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I just called you to order twice and the first thing you did was
interject again.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : You will be
shown the door if you want to make gestures like that.
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is clear
that the member for Vasse is under considerable pressure. We know what is
happening in the Liberal Party room. It is unlikely that she will be there in a
few weeks. We know there is tension, and that is why she is getting highly
agitated. We have heard—it is now on the record—that the Leader
of the Liberal Party resolutely supports social housing in Vasse. I look
forward to her public support in the future, in particular as part of the
community consultation.
I come back to this: we are
constantly seeing the Liberals and the state opposition take different
positions. Recently we saw another favourite of ours, the ''Liberal for
Bateman'', appear in—I kid you not—two social media
posts directly after each other. The first
one promotes the Liberals' plan for housing. It is a flimsy plan, not
resolute. He is in a photo with the
current leader; he will probably have to change the picture in a week. It shows
the current housing plan. The next Facebook post shows Hon Steve Martin
with the ''Liberal for Bateman'' opposing a City of Melville plan
to upzone areas for housing. It is not my state government plan. It has not
been put forward by me. It was put forward by the City of Melville. We know
that the Liberals and the Nationals are champions of local government.
The point I constantly make is that
on one stage, we have the Liberals peddling their housing plan that would
ultimately pour hundreds of millions into the development sector. On the other
stage are Liberal candidates exactly like the one I mentioned, and the Liberal
Party does not see any contradiction at all. They are opposing upzoning of land
for housing. Where do they sit?
What we see from the
Liberal Party is not a consistent position. As has occurred many times in this
Parliament, we hear different Liberal candidates saying different things. But
we do know that everywhere we look, Liberal candidates are opposing housing in
their communities. What is their coherent plan? How will they deliver their
suggested target when at every opportunity they have a chance to show they
support housing projects, instead they are opposing them?
said numerous times in this house, the government is deeply cognisant of
the pressures in both the housing and rental markets. We take the matter very
seriously and we are throwing everything at it to boost housing supply across
the continuum from greenfield sites to social housing to affordable rentals
right through to medium to high-density housing. Every additional home matters
and counts for Western Australians.
Last week, it was a pleasure to
announce a new project in regional Western Australia, and that is part of our housing diversity pipeline. It is a 30-dwelling
community housing project that will be built in Busselton . It will
deliver 16 social and 14 affordable rentals. This is a big site of 2 000 square
metres. I think it will be a four-storey development. It is about maximising
lazy government land. Our preferred proponent will be Housing Choices WA. It
would be built to silver liveable home standards. This is a demonstration of
how we are trying to get innovative projects not just in the city or the Perth
metropolitan area, but also outside of Perth
in regional Western Australia. Just as a side note, we have also done a land
transaction with the Shire of Narrogin, with a 50 per cent discount for
crown land, to assist with new housing development there. We have a message to
regional Western Australia: we are open for business and we want to work with
you to facilitate new housing.
I note that to date we have not heard
anything from the member for Vasse—silence. We would think that as the
local member she might welcome a new social and affordable housing project. The
silence may be an indication that she does not want social and affordable
housing in her own backyard. The rhetorical question is: does the member for
Vasse resolutely and absolutely support a four-storey social housing development
in her community?
Ms L. Mettam : Yes.
Mr J.N. CAREY : That does not
sound convincing at all. I look forward to this project going out to —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : The member
for Vasse is very agitated and I understand that.
I look forward to the community
consultation going out and the member for Vasse will be resolutely —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY : I look
forward to her —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I just called you to order twice and the first thing you did was
interject again.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : You will be
shown the door if you want to make gestures like that.
Mr J.N. CAREY : It is clear
that the member for Vasse is under considerable pressure. We know what is
happening in the Liberal Party room. It is unlikely that she will be there in a
few weeks. We know there is tension, and that is why she is getting highly
agitated. We have heard—it is now on the record—that the Leader
of the Liberal Party resolutely supports social housing in Vasse. I look
forward to her public support in the future, in particular as part of the
community consultation.
I come back to this: we are
constantly seeing the Liberals and the state opposition take different
positions. Recently we saw another favourite of ours, the ''Liberal for
Bateman'', appear in—I kid you not—two social media
posts directly after each other. The first
one promotes the Liberals' plan for housing. It is a flimsy plan, not
resolute. He is in a photo with the
current leader; he will probably have to change the picture in a week. It shows
the current housing plan. The next Facebook post shows Hon Steve Martin
with the ''Liberal for Bateman'' opposing a City of Melville plan
to upzone areas for housing. It is not my state government plan. It has not
been put forward by me. It was put forward by the City of Melville. We know
that the Liberals and the Nationals are champions of local government.
The point I constantly make is that
on one stage, we have the Liberals peddling their housing plan that would
ultimately pour hundreds of millions into the development sector. On the other
stage are Liberal candidates exactly like the one I mentioned, and the Liberal
Party does not see any contradiction at all. They are opposing upzoning of land
for housing. Where do they sit?
What we see from the
Liberal Party is not a consistent position. As has occurred many times in this
Parliament, we hear different Liberal candidates saying different things. But
we do know that everywhere we look, Liberal candidates are opposing housing in
their communities. What is their coherent plan? How will they deliver their
suggested target when at every opportunity they have a chance to show they
support housing projects, instead they are opposing them?
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