Housing Construction

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:15): My question is to the Premier. How will the Premier recruit key workers to help build homes in South Australia when finding a home here is beyond reach of many of them? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The Property Council's report Beyond Reach found that buying a house remains beyond reach for a couple comprising of a full-time electrician and a part-time retail shop assistant.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:15): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for identifying and observing the problem. They are very good at that. Our job isn't to observe the problem but rather to do something—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left will come to order.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Our job is not to observe the problem, it is actually to do something about it. I mentioned a suite of actions that we have already referred to, none more important than the water, but what we are also doing is making sure that we have got a constant supply of housing land into the long term.

There are points of difference between the government and the opposition with respect to policy in this regard. The opposition have made it clear that Renewal SA have no role to play. If we removed Renewal SA from the equation, then all the homes that are getting built in Prospect Corner, that wouldn't be happening. All the homes that are being built in Playford Alive, that wouldn't be happening. All the homes that are being built down at Seaton, that wouldn't be happening. So anyone who has aspirations to live in one of those areas or get into one of those houses quickly, we know that those opposite will be pulling up stumps if they get in charge in 12 months' time which could not be a more stark contrast in policy activity with regard to the challenge that we have in hand.

The minister today has foreshadowed an important piece of legislation which will also put the opposition to the test in whether or not they are serious about aiding the challenge by making sure we pass legislation to unlock yet more land to make sure that industry has this certainty that they have been crying out for for some time, whether it be in Roseworthy, Two Wells or down south in places like Victor Harbor. There is not a policy lever that is at the disposal of this government that we are not pulling in regard to this challenge.

We know that more South Australians are choosing to reside here in our state, not leave the state as they did in the past, because of the economic success story that our state represents. What I would say to those key workers to which the Leader of the Opposition refers is to look at, when you assess where you may choose to be living and working into the future, where else would you choose but from the very jurisdiction that the housing industry of Australia says we are number one in the country, or that the Business Council of Australia says we are number one in the country with respect to planning reform, and that the Commonwealth Bank of Australia says we've got more housing dwelling starts happening here than anywhere else in the country.

So if I am a young worker sitting around and weighing up my options, 'Where do I want to go?' I want to go to where the action is. I want to go where the economy is strong, where there are powerful prospects for growth, and we have a government that is actually unlocking housing supply rather than actively constraining it because they have seen that happen in the past; unlocking housing supply versus actively constraining it. That is what we are getting on with. So to a young worker, I say choose the jurisdiction with a strong economy. I say choose the jurisdiction where the BCA, the HIA, the Commonwealth Bank, amongst other organisations, say has actually got a policy to do something about it, is actually making a difference on the ground—and that is what young people expect to see from the government and that is what they are getting here in South Australia.