❓ Mr. Folkard questions the Premier on the Cook Labor government's investments in new homes and support for first home buyers. The Premier responds by outlining initiatives to boost housing supply, support renters, and criticizes the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 214Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Cook government—Home ownership
214. Mr Mark Folkard to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the Premier
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to build
new homes—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Mindarie! Opposition members,
please do not interrupt when the question is being asked. Start again, member
for Mindarie.
Mr Mark Folkard: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I shall.
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the Premier
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to build
new homes and support first home buyers?
214. Mr Mark Folkard to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the Premier
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to build
new homes—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Mindarie! Opposition members,
please do not interrupt when the question is being asked. Start again, member
for Mindarie.
Mr Mark Folkard: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I shall.
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that every Western Australian has a
home.
Can the Premier
please outline to the house how the Cook Labor government is investing to build
new homes and support first home buyers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for the question because we know that the WA Labor government is doing so much
in the area of housing. In fact, we are leading the Housing Industry Association's
Housing Score Card. Building commencements are amongst the highest in the
country and the construction workforce has grown to record numbers. But we know
that it is still tough out there in the rental market. We know it is still
tough for first home buyers, which is the reason that, as a government, we know
there is more to do. We recognise that the younger generations especially need
the pendulum to swing back in their favour. Housing markets right across the
country have been tight in recent years and the WA Labor government is doing
everything it can to boost supply by unlocking land, training more tradies,
supporting first home buyers, boosting our investment in social and affordable
housing and cutting red tape—something that those opposite want to reinstate.
WA is moving in the right direction but we need to do more. This budget will be
talking about the government's housing initiatives and taking them to another
level. There is a big focus on the supply side of things—billions of dollars
towards innovative policies that will create opportunities for renters and
first home buyers alike.
However, we also
want to make life a little more secure for those who are in a rental, which is
the reason that when it comes to economic security, we have extended our rental
relief program. This is an important program. It has helped over 4,000 families
through $80 million worth of funding to keep a roof over their head and
make sure that they do not fall into homelessness. We are also introducing a
ban on no-fault evictions. Currently, landlords are allowed to ask renters to
leave a property without giving a reason even if they have paid the rent on
time and taken good care of the property. Our proposed changes will give WA
renters more security and, while landlords will still have the right to end a
tenancy, they will only be able to do so for a specific valid reason like
failing to pay rent, causing damage to the property or needing to live in the
house themselves. Measures like these are about continuing to boost housing and
home security and continuing to drive towards the priority of making sure that
every Western Australian has a place to call home. That stands in stark
contrast to those opposite. One day the shadow minister for housing says that
we are spending too much but the next day she says that we are spending too
little. One day she says that we should spend more and build more and other
days she says that we should leave it to the private sector. Those opposite do
not know what they stand for but Western Australian voters know what my
government stands for, and that is giving renters and first home buyers a fair
go.
for the question because we know that the WA Labor government is doing so much
in the area of housing. In fact, we are leading the Housing Industry Association's
Housing Score Card. Building commencements are amongst the highest in the
country and the construction workforce has grown to record numbers. But we know
that it is still tough out there in the rental market. We know it is still
tough for first home buyers, which is the reason that, as a government, we know
there is more to do. We recognise that the younger generations especially need
the pendulum to swing back in their favour. Housing markets right across the
country have been tight in recent years and the WA Labor government is doing
everything it can to boost supply by unlocking land, training more tradies,
supporting first home buyers, boosting our investment in social and affordable
housing and cutting red tape—something that those opposite want to reinstate.
WA is moving in the right direction but we need to do more. This budget will be
talking about the government's housing initiatives and taking them to another
level. There is a big focus on the supply side of things—billions of dollars
towards innovative policies that will create opportunities for renters and
first home buyers alike.
However, we also
want to make life a little more secure for those who are in a rental, which is
the reason that when it comes to economic security, we have extended our rental
relief program. This is an important program. It has helped over 4,000 families
through $80 million worth of funding to keep a roof over their head and
make sure that they do not fall into homelessness. We are also introducing a
ban on no-fault evictions. Currently, landlords are allowed to ask renters to
leave a property without giving a reason even if they have paid the rent on
time and taken good care of the property. Our proposed changes will give WA
renters more security and, while landlords will still have the right to end a
tenancy, they will only be able to do so for a specific valid reason like
failing to pay rent, causing damage to the property or needing to live in the
house themselves. Measures like these are about continuing to boost housing and
home security and continuing to drive towards the priority of making sure that
every Western Australian has a place to call home. That stands in stark
contrast to those opposite. One day the shadow minister for housing says that
we are spending too much but the next day she says that we are spending too
little. One day she says that we should spend more and build more and other
days she says that we should leave it to the private sector. Those opposite do
not know what they stand for but Western Australian voters know what my
government stands for, and that is giving renters and first home buyers a fair
go.
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