❓ A heated exchange in WA Parliament regarding the availability of public and social housing, with accusations traded between the Minister for Housing and the member for Cottesloe regarding COVID-related border closures and housing policy failures.
AnsweredQoN 241Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC AND SOCIAL HOUSING — AVAILABILITY
241. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Housing:
I have a supplementary question. The
minister blamed COVID, but was it not his government that stopped critical
construction workers from coming into the state during that time, precipitating
the current crisis?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order! Members,
the wall of noise is unacceptable. I am going to ask the member for Cottesloe
to ask the question again. I am hopeful that we will hear it in silence so that
I can at least hear what he has asked.
Dr D.J. HONEY : Thank you very
much, Madam Speaker.
The minister blamed COVID, but was
it not his government that stopped critical construction workers from coming
into the state during that time, precipitating the current crisis?
241. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Housing:
I have a supplementary question. The
minister blamed COVID, but was it not his government that stopped critical
construction workers from coming into the state during that time, precipitating
the current crisis?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order! Members,
the wall of noise is unacceptable. I am going to ask the member for Cottesloe
to ask the question again. I am hopeful that we will hear it in silence so that
I can at least hear what he has asked.
Dr D.J. HONEY : Thank you very
much, Madam Speaker.
The minister blamed COVID, but was
it not his government that stopped critical construction workers from coming
into the state during that time, precipitating the current crisis?
AnswerView source ↗
I just find that extraordinary. What
it demonstrates is that, at his heart, the member for Cottesloe did not agree
with the position —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, please, members.
Member for Cottesloe, you have asked a supplementary question and we are
getting the answer. I ask you to desist, and for the Deputy Premier to desist
as well.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Let us be very
clear: the member for Cottesloe is on the record again saying that we should
have had open borders.
Dr D.J. Honey : No, only for
critical workers.
Mr J.N. CAREY : No. You have
just changed your position again!
Dr D.J. Honey : Don't
verbal me.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You flip-flop
all over the place.
Dr D.J. Honey : Don't
verbal me.
Mr J.N. CAREY : He is getting
very agitated because he realises —
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr
J.N. CAREY : The member for
Cottesloe is on the way out. He has been dumped by the Liberal Party not
because of his age but just because he is incompetent.
The SPEAKER : Minister, can I ask
you to get back to the question, please.
Dr D.J. Honey : Yes, not
personal insults!
Mr J.N. CAREY : You deliver
those all the time, member for Cottesloe; you are the master of that. You
lecture us here —
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You are an extraordinary individual! It
is no wonder the Liberal Party dumped you.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, I have asked you not to continue to interject so incessantly.
Minister, I asked you to briefly respond to the question that was asked.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Let us come
back to the basis of the issue. The record number on the public waiting list
was 24 000 applications. That was under the previous Barnett government, at a population
level that was far fewer than we have now. We are making a record investment—$2.4
billion over four years—to deliver 4 000 social homes, of which we have delivered 2 000 to date, with
another thousand under construction. That is in significant contrast to that side. Let us go back to the nuts of it; let
us get right to it. After seven and a half years, the Liberals have not had one social housing policy, not one housing
policy and not one policy response on homelessness. That is their record . They do not take this issue seriously; they
actually do not care. They have no interest in housing in Western Australia. It is only this side, our state government, through all the measures that I have
previously reported in this Parliament, that is taking this issue seriously.
The SPEAKER : That concludes
question time.
it demonstrates is that, at his heart, the member for Cottesloe did not agree
with the position —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, please, members.
Member for Cottesloe, you have asked a supplementary question and we are
getting the answer. I ask you to desist, and for the Deputy Premier to desist
as well.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Let us be very
clear: the member for Cottesloe is on the record again saying that we should
have had open borders.
Dr D.J. Honey : No, only for
critical workers.
Mr J.N. CAREY : No. You have
just changed your position again!
Dr D.J. Honey : Don't
verbal me.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You flip-flop
all over the place.
Dr D.J. Honey : Don't
verbal me.
Mr J.N. CAREY : He is getting
very agitated because he realises —
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr
J.N. CAREY : The member for
Cottesloe is on the way out. He has been dumped by the Liberal Party not
because of his age but just because he is incompetent.
The SPEAKER : Minister, can I ask
you to get back to the question, please.
Dr D.J. Honey : Yes, not
personal insults!
Mr J.N. CAREY : You deliver
those all the time, member for Cottesloe; you are the master of that. You
lecture us here —
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You are an extraordinary individual! It
is no wonder the Liberal Party dumped you.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, I have asked you not to continue to interject so incessantly.
Minister, I asked you to briefly respond to the question that was asked.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Let us come
back to the basis of the issue. The record number on the public waiting list
was 24 000 applications. That was under the previous Barnett government, at a population
level that was far fewer than we have now. We are making a record investment—$2.4
billion over four years—to deliver 4 000 social homes, of which we have delivered 2 000 to date, with
another thousand under construction. That is in significant contrast to that side. Let us go back to the nuts of it; let
us get right to it. After seven and a half years, the Liberals have not had one social housing policy, not one housing
policy and not one policy response on homelessness. That is their record . They do not take this issue seriously; they
actually do not care. They have no interest in housing in Western Australia. It is only this side, our state government, through all the measures that I have
previously reported in this Parliament, that is taking this issue seriously.
The SPEAKER : That concludes
question time.
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