HOUSING — STATE
DEMAND
838. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. I understand
that the government has pushed back the completion of construction for six
months; therefore, it may defer the cliff by another six months or so. Will the
government just rely on the market to solve the problem, or does the government
have a specific policy response to the forecast decline?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Members on my
right, it is just a dull roar!
Mr B.S. WYATT
replied: Before I —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Members, your
Treasurer is on his feet!
Mr B.S. WYATT: Before I deal
with my comrade, the member for Bateman, I note that on the weekend he
announced a policy of deregulation of the power system that was all
based around the magical hand of competition. I am not sure whether the member
is for the market or agin the market! Either way, because we have a stimulus
measure, we are intervening in the market to bring forward this activity to
ensure that there is work for people.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for
Bateman, you have had two goes!
Mr B.S. WYATT: We are also
changing the policy—again, intervening in the market—to ensure
that the pipeline of work is extended. As a government,
we will continue to do that because we know that simply relying on the market
will not deliver the sorts of things we need. It certainly will not deliver,
for example, lower power prices.