Housing Supply

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): My question is to the Premier. When will construction of homes commence on the land that was released by the government at Aldinga, Noarlunga Downs and Golden Grove in April 2023? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: On 30 April 2023, the government announced a project to set aside blocks for 1,900 homes, with work to begin, and I quote, 'next year' with a minimum target of 15 per cent affordable housing.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:09): I do thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, and I do want to give the Leader of the Opposition credit for his public acknowledgement of the fact that, when it comes to housing supply and land supply, the government of which he was a member didn't do enough to address the issue. I think that candour is appreciated. Allow me to reciprocate that candour with an honest conversation about the timing.

When we release land, it is the first step in a substantial process that ultimately leads to a family getting access to a home. As the minister was articulating in his answer, the government has to release the land, then there's the code amendment, then there's the land division process—which, ideally, happens concurrently with civil works. Civil works in and of itself then draws out its own complications, with the one that is occupying the government's mind and attention most at the moment being civil works associated with water infrastructure.

Each and every one of those elements takes time. Then, of course, we need the land to be sold, a developer to engage a customer, money to be lent, a house to be built and commissioned, then a family moves in. All of that takes time, and some of that time is there for good reason. There are other elements that I would characterise as unnecessary delay.

One of the responsibilities that has been invested in the Minister for Housing and Urban Development is not just to get supply out into the system but also to aggressively pursue opportunities where we can truncate that process, expedite that process. Are there opportunities where the code amendment process can be sped up? Are there opportunities for governments to intervene to accelerate the provision of water infrastructure in advance of housing construction? They are pieces of work that the minister and the new department have been instructed by me as being their singular responsibility.

One of the reasons why as a government we are now, as we speak, forming a brand new Department of Housing and Urban Development is to make sure that we have single points of accountability. I think one of the frustrations that we have identified over the course of the last 18 months, as we have been aggressively trying to increase housing supply, is that there are multiple points of accountability, and often for good reason. But we have formed the view that by putting them in a singular department with a single chief executive and a single minister, we can seek to expedite that effort.

I think, as the minister referred to, the actions that this government has been able to take have reaped some dividends, with the HIA giving us number one in the country, the BCA giving us number one in the country and the Commonwealth Bank's State of the States report ranking us number one in the country when it comes to the elements that they consider in respect of housing construction starts and the provision of supply. So bodies independent of government—not accustomed to awarding praise, necessarily, to Labor governments—are acknowledging the work that we are doing. They know that we are all-in on this effort. That is something we will continue to do for as long as we have the opportunity, because these aren't just processes and numbers, it's the opportunity to provide families with homes.