STATE ECONOMY —
STAMP DUTY REBATE
1436. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Treasurer:
I refer to the article entitled ''Stamp
duty relief could 'backfire on unit sector''' in the
business section of The West Australian of 26 November 2019.
(1) Did the government or the Treasurer receive a letter
from the construction lobby, including the Property Council of
Australia, the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Master Builders
Association or the Housing Industry Association, in November raising concerns
about the impacts of the government's policy to provide rebates in
stamp duty of up to 75 per cent for off-the-plan apartments purchased before
construction begins?
(2) If yes to (1), will the minister
please table a copy of the letter?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) Has there been any reduction in sales of existing
newly constructed apartments with the government's new measure
driving purchasers to off-the-plan purchases instead, and how is the government
monitoring this?
(5) Why would a prospective
purchaser now buy a completed apartment in a multistorey development when they
can get a rebate worth up to $50 000 by purchasing off the plan?
(6) How many
unsold already constructed apartments in multistorey buildings are there on the
market in Perth currently?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I
thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following
answer is provided on behalf of the Treasurer.
(1)–(3) The Treasurer has
not seen the letter referred to in the honourable member's question.
(4)–(6) What the government is monitoring is the number of
Western Australians with a job. That is the primary focus of this government
and of this policy. So far, the McGowan government has created 56 000 jobs
since it came to office, while in the last term of the Liberal–National
government, there was a net loss in jobs. In this context, the government does
not apologise for its focus on creating jobs for hardworking Western Australian
families.