State Government $101 million investment in water and power infrastructure in Thursday’s State Budget

Labor will unlock 33,000 residential lots across WA in a $101 million investment in water and power infrastructure in Thursday’s State Budget, as the Government grapples with housing supply. In the top-up to the $400m Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund, 21 water and power projects across Perth and regional WA will receive funding, including new substations in Muchea, Medina and Pinjarra. Of the $101m, $60m will be set aside for 18 water and wastewater projects across the metropolitan region and key residential-growth areas in regional WA, such as Busselton, Dalyellup, Kununurra and Margaret River. Treasurer Rita Saffioti said the works opened up new residential land by providing critical infrastructure, and follows a similar $105m investment to deliver another 28,000 lots. “Housing supply remains a critical issue, and this investment will ensure we continue to prioritise strategic infrastructure needed to unlock more residential land throughout Western Australia,” she said. “By addressing critical water and power infrastructure needs, informed by consultation with industry, we can unlock land in high-priority areas to deliver more homes and support sustainable development in our metropolitan growth corridors and regional communities.” Housing and Works Minister John Carey said the Government was doing everything it could to support West Australians into their own homes. “We are also unlocking underutilised land for housing development and have led the nation on cutting red tape in the planning system,” he said. Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the funding and new substations were critical in unlocking new, affordable homes. “Enabling Western Power to provide more support means a more secure housing pipeline for the community,” she said. “Our Government remains acutely aware of the challenges that renters and aspiring homeowners face, and we are prioritising strategic projects to bolster affordable housing.” Following a tour of WA’s north at the start of the month, Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said it was clear the region had a “grave” housing problem. Visiting Port Hedland, Karratha, Roebourne and Exmouth, Mr Zempilas said his trip to the Pilbara had been a revelation for him on housing in regional WA. “I have been well aware that we have a housing crisis in Perth, and it’s been very clear to me,” he said. “But to go up north and see how grave the situation is up there with housing, public housing, construction of housing, release of land for housing ... It is very clear to me now that this is a State-wide epidemic. We just can’t get enough housing for the people that we need.” Mr Zempilas said the housing response needed to be applied across the State. “This is the seriousness of the situation, not just about what’s happening here in the city, it’s also what’s happening in our State,” he said. “If we want to continue to grow our State, for it to remain the economic powerhouse that it is, we need to find ways to get more housing into our State-wide system.” Karratha mayor Daniel Scott said the situation in the region was “dire” with a potential shortage of 3000 homes over five years just to house staff for upcoming projects. “The housing situation in Karratha is, in our opinion, of far more importance than it is elsewhere because we‘re literally underpinning the national economy and we are the answer to decarbonising Australia,” he said. The debate follows the passage through Parliament this week of changes to stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. Under the laws, homes valued up to $500,000 will be exempt while the stamp duty was reduced for homes between $500,000 and $700,000 in the Perth metropolitan and Peel region, and up to $750,000 in regional WA. An estimated 22,000 first home buyers will pay less duty across the next four years with 8000 will pay none.