CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
344. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Treasurer:
I refer to the McGowan government's
effort to protect the local construction industry through both stamp duty
rebates for off-the-plan apartments and its proposed planning reforms. Can the
Treasurer outline to the house why these initiatives are so important in
supporting the local economy through the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mr B.S. WYATT
replied:
I thank the member for Belmont for
that very, very good question. In the just over three years that we have been
in government, a lot of effort has gone into supporting jobs, a lot of effort
has gone into supporting the construction sector, and not a budget has gone by
that has not had something to try to encourage the housing industry amongst
others, commercial and residential, back into a period of growth. Along the
way, I must admit, some of that has been quite difficult. At every point, I have
had complaint and critique from the Western Australian Liberal Party, to the
point where sometimes I do not know who they are. When I try to cut taxes, I get
yelled at. When we have a tight wages
policy, I get yelled at. When we reduce government departments, I get yelled
at. When we have a jobs target, the
shadow Treasurer calls it a scam and I get yelled at. I do not know who they
are, but I need them to know who they
are. Yesterday, I was delighted when the member for Bateman, the shadow
Treasurer, had an opinion piece published
in The West Australian. It gave me the chance after three years to try
to work out who the WA Liberal Party is. I was very interested in one
paragraph in particular. The member for Bateman said —
We must also simplify government red
and green tape to support and grow WA industry and encourage business
investment.
That is a great idea! That is
exactly what we need! Indeed, just yesterday, the Minister for Planning, who
can only be described as the Muhammad Ali of planning reform, dropped into
Parliament I think one of the most significant reform proposals it has seen in a long time that would do that very thing—simplify
government red and green tape to support WA industry and encourage business
investment. The Minister for Planning, as we all know, is not shy about
taking on a fight. She is not shy about entering the ring, whether it be budget
fights or here in the chamber itself.
I
suspect she was intending to absorb a few punches yesterday, but did not
realise it was going to be a bit of a rope-a-dope performance. My friend
the member for Cottesloe—the George Foreman of yesterday's
fight—wandered down to the lectern and said a number of things of some
interest, I must admit. He not only strongly critiqued the urgency of the legislation,
but actually went further —
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP: I am curious about whether the Treasurer is about to quote
from an uncorrected Hansard.
Mr B.S.
WYATT: I am quoting from my notes. I am quoting from the extensive
notes that I took yesterday, member for Dawesville.
The SPEAKER: There is no
point of order.
Debate Resumed
Mr
B.S. WYATT: Not only did he say
that there is no demand for anything, but ''Mr Foreman'' went on
to say this —
The SPEAKER: Member!
Mr B.S. WYATT: I apologise.
The SPEAKER: Please use the
member for Cottesloe.
Mr B.S. WYATT: The member for
Cottesloe went even further to say, I quote, ''No building of commercial
properties will be required because those existing premises are available.''
Not only is the shadow Treasurer saying we must simplify red and green tape—the
key point is when. It is at some point in the future when there is demand for
those construction activities. I was very surprised to see the Liberal Party
take that position. Clearly, to free up that 80 to 85 per cent of the economy
that is the private sector, the government needs to get out of the way.
Again, I do not know who the Liberal
Party is. We need to ensure that the private sector can spend and has
confidence that its decisions will be supported by government quickly and
efficiently and that they will get through. I assure members that the Minister
for Planning's reforms will do those very things. I know the Liberal
Party can do it; I saw it on Tuesday night when we debated some very good
reforms in the Procurement Bill. I say to all members
of the Liberal Party: Get on board. I think you know it is the right thing to
do; there are just gonna be some digestion problems along the way.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Members!