❓ Ms. Kent asks about the Cook Labor government's plan to deliver housing in regional WA and how this investment will unlock economic opportunities. The Premier outlines investments in regional housing, infrastructure, and the 'Seven Cities' vision to support population growth and economic diversification.
AnsweredQoN 231Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Housing—Supply
231. Ms Ali Kent 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 delivering housing
across WA's regional centres and how this investment will unlock new economic
opportunities for Western Australia?
231. Ms Ali Kent 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 delivering housing
across WA's regional centres and how this investment will unlock new economic
opportunities for Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Kalgoorlie for the question. She is a tireless champion for her region and
does a great job representing her community. We know that the region's success
has always been central to the success of Western Australia. Our economic
success has always depended on the thriving regions of this state. It has never
been clearer that the regions are also integral to our future prosperity. Our
vision is to build on our traditional industries—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —like mining, agriculture and tourism
as we continue to diversify the economy, and, at the same time, become a
renewable energy powerhouse and make more things here under our Made in WA
plan. A great deal of this work is occurring outside Perth. As Premier, I want
to ensure that our regions are well equipped to embrace these emerging
opportunities. Regions have the resources, energy and space, but they also need
the workforce if we are going to take hold of the huge opportunities ahead of
us. They have to have the skilled workforces they need to seize these
opportunities and that is the impetus behind the Seven Cities vision I recently
announced.
Part of that work is
investing in infrastructure to unlock new opportunities such as roads, bridges,
ports, water and power, but much of it is also ensuring that our seven regional
cities have the services and housing that they need to sustain population growth
over the longer term, as well as expand their role as hubs for service delivery
to the smaller towns that surround them. That is why we are delivering record
investment in regional housing. We are delivering more than 500 new homes
for regional frontline workers in partnership with the resources industry in
places like Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Albany.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: That is more than 500 additional homes
for the workers who are essential for any regional cities, such as teachers,
police officers, nurses and more. This is on top of the 100 additional
Government Regional Officers' Housing homes in regional WA that we promised at
the last election. It builds on the $600 million that we have invested in
the GROH program since 2021.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, stop your
interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: This new build represents our state's
biggest ever construction program for government officer housing. It forms part
of our broader $692 million regional housing spend in the upcoming 2026–27
state budget. It includes a revamped home ownership subsidy scheme, which will
include shared equity to encourage government workers to purchase homes in the
communities in which they work. Since we were elected, WA Labor has invested
more in regional Western Australia than any government before us, from the
biggest road projects to the biggest hospital projects. We understand that
regional WA is central to our identity as Western Australians and central to us
remaining the strongest economy in the nation for generations to come. That is
why, in this year's budget, we will continue to deliver for regional Western
Australia.
for Kalgoorlie for the question. She is a tireless champion for her region and
does a great job representing her community. We know that the region's success
has always been central to the success of Western Australia. Our economic
success has always depended on the thriving regions of this state. It has never
been clearer that the regions are also integral to our future prosperity. Our
vision is to build on our traditional industries—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —like mining, agriculture and tourism
as we continue to diversify the economy, and, at the same time, become a
renewable energy powerhouse and make more things here under our Made in WA
plan. A great deal of this work is occurring outside Perth. As Premier, I want
to ensure that our regions are well equipped to embrace these emerging
opportunities. Regions have the resources, energy and space, but they also need
the workforce if we are going to take hold of the huge opportunities ahead of
us. They have to have the skilled workforces they need to seize these
opportunities and that is the impetus behind the Seven Cities vision I recently
announced.
Part of that work is
investing in infrastructure to unlock new opportunities such as roads, bridges,
ports, water and power, but much of it is also ensuring that our seven regional
cities have the services and housing that they need to sustain population growth
over the longer term, as well as expand their role as hubs for service delivery
to the smaller towns that surround them. That is why we are delivering record
investment in regional housing. We are delivering more than 500 new homes
for regional frontline workers in partnership with the resources industry in
places like Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Albany.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: That is more than 500 additional homes
for the workers who are essential for any regional cities, such as teachers,
police officers, nurses and more. This is on top of the 100 additional
Government Regional Officers' Housing homes in regional WA that we promised at
the last election. It builds on the $600 million that we have invested in
the GROH program since 2021.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, stop your
interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: This new build represents our state's
biggest ever construction program for government officer housing. It forms part
of our broader $692 million regional housing spend in the upcoming 2026–27
state budget. It includes a revamped home ownership subsidy scheme, which will
include shared equity to encourage government workers to purchase homes in the
communities in which they work. Since we were elected, WA Labor has invested
more in regional Western Australia than any government before us, from the
biggest road projects to the biggest hospital projects. We understand that
regional WA is central to our identity as Western Australians and central to us
remaining the strongest economy in the nation for generations to come. That is
why, in this year's budget, we will continue to deliver for regional Western
Australia.
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