BUILDING BONUS GRANT
100. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Finance:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's efforts in driving the Western Australian
economy and supporting local jobs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Can the
minister update the house on how the state government's building
bonus grant program has supported the residential construction industry and
assisted more Western Australians to realise their dream of home ownership?
Dr A.D.
BUTI replied:
I would like to thank the member for
Cockburn for his question.
Before I answer it, as the Minister
for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests can I also echo the comments of the
Premier that we stand with the Ukrainian population that resides in Western Australia.
As the member very well knows, and
as I and others who drive along Kwinana Freeway know, Cockburn is on the rise,
with new transport infrastructure and thousands of new homes being built. We
are seeing an unprecedented construction of homes in Western Australia. Earlier
in question time, the Minister for Housing mentioned the government's
building bonus package. It has been an incredible success. The $20 000 building
bonus grant was launched in mid-2020 and has formed a key pillar of this
government's economic response to COVID-19. It has not only been
exciting for home builders. It has also created a pipeline of construction work
that will continue this year and beyond, which is, of course, very needed for
the industry, particularly during uncertain times. Incredibly, almost 20 000 Western
Australians have now received a grant towards their new home. The Department of
Finance has advised that it has now paid out 19 915 grants. That is 19 915
homes across WA that have, at the very least, had the pad put down and building
commence.
The
data shows that the top postcode for the grants in the metropolitan area, with
1 382 grants, is 6055. Member for West
Swan, a lot of that postcode comes within your electorate, in the suburbs of
Bushmead, Caversham and Dayton. I am sure that the members for West Swan
and Midland are excited by that.
In the regions, coming in at 6 034
grants, in postcode 6210, is Mandurah and its surrounds.
Mr D.A. Templeman: Hear,
hear!
Dr A.D. BUTI: That is a hugely
popular region. I do not know whether that is because of the coastal amenities
or the appeal of the member for Mandurah!
Runner-up in the regions—I
am sure the member for Vasse will applaud this great policy of the McGowan
government—is postcode 6280 in the south west, with 363 new neighbours
for the member for Vasse. I am sure she will be applauding our great building
bonus package.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI: Do you think
that is great, member for Vasse?
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members!
Dr A.D. BUTI: This shows that
Western Australians have faith in WA and in our strong future. The building
bonus has fed that faith and the faith that the WA public has in this
government. The building bonus has created a significant pipeline of work for
the residential building sector, with a record 27 000 building approvals
recorded in 2020–21. I will repeat
that: there were 27 000 building approvals in the period 2020–21. More Western
Australians are moving into these new homes; more people are moving up the
property ladder and perhaps freeing up rental properties for others. The
Minister for Housing mentioned that the building bonus is also part of the
overall policy of ensuring that Western Australians can live in homes because,
of course, if someone builds a home and they are living in a rental property, it frees up the rental property. I am sure
members opposite will be applauding us on that.
The building bonus package has been
a crucial driver of jobs and activity, and another initiative that has helped Western
Australia to reach its nation-leading unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent.