Minister for Housing John Carey clearly demonstrated yesterday in Parliament that he is struggling to get across his portfolio when he was unable to provide basic information on the number of social houses Labor intends to build.
“If the Minister is unable to answer basic questions, how is he meant to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to address Western Australia’s housing crisis?” said Shadow Housing Minister, Steve Martin MLC.
“We have people over-bidding for rentals, the Salvation Army paying car registration for the homeless so they have shelter, families resorting to living in tents in the bush and people going without food and medication just to keep a roof over their heads.”
“The previous Liberal National Government delivered 6,000 new social houses between 2010 and 2016, yet John Carey doesn’t even know how many social houses he is intending to construct.”
Another major error by the new Minister was that he thought the “one clear reason” for the housing crisis was attributable to people returning home to Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, ABS statistics released yesterday demonstrate that there has been a substantial reduction in population growth – with net negative overseas migration during COVID.
A clear lack of understanding by this new Minister is going to exacerbate Western Australia’s housing crisis, not resolve it.
It is time the McGowan Government took responsibility for the situation, and find immediate solutions.
“As a first step, I am calling on the Minister to outline exactly how many social houses Labor intends to build over the next year and over its term of government”.
