❓ Fiery exchange in WA Parliament over housing completions. Brewer accuses the government of 'gaslighting', while Carey accuses the opposition of being 'anti-housing' and attacking homeless people, leading to repeated interjections and Speaker interventions.
AnsweredQoN 211Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Housing supply
211. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Minister for Housing:
I have a
supplementary question. When will the government stop gaslighting Western
Australians and take responsibility for its role in ruining the dwelling
completions trajectory?
211. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Minister for Housing:
I have a
supplementary question. When will the government stop gaslighting Western
Australians and take responsibility for its role in ruining the dwelling
completions trajectory?
AnswerView source ↗
That was really
extraordinary commentary. I note that when we look at the commentary by the
Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Property Council of Australia,
the Housing Industry Association and Shelter WA, it points to the large number
of reforms that we have introduced in Western Australia. It is in sharp
contrast to the anti-housing approach taken by the other side. We are
pro-housing; the Liberal Party and Nationals WA are anti-housing.
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you have asked the
question. Let the minister respond.
Mr John Carey: I have to say this: this was not even
the case with Hon Steve Martin, the former shadow housing spokesperson. It
is unprecedented that a housing spokesperson for the Liberals or Nationals, who
is responsible for commenting on social housing, would actively be encouraging
local residents to oppose social and affordable build-to-rent projects. One key
path—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, I am calling you
for the first time. Please stop interjecting.
Mr John Carey: It is unprecedented that we have now,
and this was not the case with Hon Steve Martin, a Liberal shadow housing
spokesperson who is actively opposing social housing, which is critical to
housing the most vulnerable people in Western
Australia. This is on the record. We have a Liberal leader who, when pushed and asked by The West Australian whether he
would keep or reverse the planning reforms, which have been strongly embraced
and welcomed by the HIA, the Property Council and the UDIA, refused to provide
a simple response.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the Opposition! Member
for Cottesloe, I am calling you for the second time. Please stop your
interjections.
Mr John Carey: The lack of leadership by that side is,
of course, not surprising. I remind everyone that it was the Liberal leader who
talked about driving homeless people out of the city—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: —and who said homeless people look
disgusting.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: I do not have the quote before me.
Mr Basil Zempilas: No, because it is not true.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: It is true.
Mr Basil Zempilas: It is not true.
Mr John Carey: It is true.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: He said, "Drive homeless people
out of the city."
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Minister! Members, we do not
have yelling matches across the chamber. Minister, if you could conclude your
comments.
Mr John Carey: I will read it out because the Liberal
leader is highly agitated and yelling across the chamber.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, I am calling you
for the third time. I have warned you enough about stopping your interjections.
Mr John Carey: We are seeing it now in the nasty tone
of the housing spokesperson who is against social housing. This is what the
Liberal leader said:
I make no apologies
for this, the homeless need to be moved out of the Hay and Murray Street malls
and the surrounding areas. Forcibly, if that's what it takes. I'm sick of being
told by people …
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: It goes on:
The look, the
smell, the language, the fights – it's disgusting. A blight on our city …
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: He is talking about people there.
Mr Basil Zempilas: Do you think it is fair to
the city?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: Can
I just be on the record? This is actually a pivotal moment in this chamber. He
is defending his commentary attacking homeless people. He is defending the
commentary that says homeless people look disgusting. Each one of you should be
ashamed! The shadow Liberal spokesperson is anti–social housing.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: The Liberal leader is now defending his
disgusting comments. You are condemned for it.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! That concludes question time.
extraordinary commentary. I note that when we look at the commentary by the
Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Property Council of Australia,
the Housing Industry Association and Shelter WA, it points to the large number
of reforms that we have introduced in Western Australia. It is in sharp
contrast to the anti-housing approach taken by the other side. We are
pro-housing; the Liberal Party and Nationals WA are anti-housing.
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you have asked the
question. Let the minister respond.
Mr John Carey: I have to say this: this was not even
the case with Hon Steve Martin, the former shadow housing spokesperson. It
is unprecedented that a housing spokesperson for the Liberals or Nationals, who
is responsible for commenting on social housing, would actively be encouraging
local residents to oppose social and affordable build-to-rent projects. One key
path—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, I am calling you
for the first time. Please stop interjecting.
Mr John Carey: It is unprecedented that we have now,
and this was not the case with Hon Steve Martin, a Liberal shadow housing
spokesperson who is actively opposing social housing, which is critical to
housing the most vulnerable people in Western
Australia. This is on the record. We have a Liberal leader who, when pushed and asked by The West Australian whether he
would keep or reverse the planning reforms, which have been strongly embraced
and welcomed by the HIA, the Property Council and the UDIA, refused to provide
a simple response.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the Opposition! Member
for Cottesloe, I am calling you for the second time. Please stop your
interjections.
Mr John Carey: The lack of leadership by that side is,
of course, not surprising. I remind everyone that it was the Liberal leader who
talked about driving homeless people out of the city—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: —and who said homeless people look
disgusting.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: I do not have the quote before me.
Mr Basil Zempilas: No, because it is not true.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: It is true.
Mr Basil Zempilas: It is not true.
Mr John Carey: It is true.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: He said, "Drive homeless people
out of the city."
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Minister! Members, we do not
have yelling matches across the chamber. Minister, if you could conclude your
comments.
Mr John Carey: I will read it out because the Liberal
leader is highly agitated and yelling across the chamber.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, I am calling you
for the third time. I have warned you enough about stopping your interjections.
Mr John Carey: We are seeing it now in the nasty tone
of the housing spokesperson who is against social housing. This is what the
Liberal leader said:
I make no apologies
for this, the homeless need to be moved out of the Hay and Murray Street malls
and the surrounding areas. Forcibly, if that's what it takes. I'm sick of being
told by people …
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: It goes on:
The look, the
smell, the language, the fights – it's disgusting. A blight on our city …
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: He is talking about people there.
Mr Basil Zempilas: Do you think it is fair to
the city?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr John Carey: Can
I just be on the record? This is actually a pivotal moment in this chamber. He
is defending his commentary attacking homeless people. He is defending the
commentary that says homeless people look disgusting. Each one of you should be
ashamed! The shadow Liberal spokesperson is anti–social housing.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr John Carey: The Liberal leader is now defending his
disgusting comments. You are condemned for it.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! That concludes question time.
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