A non-means-tested home building scheme introduced by the West Australian government during the COVID-19 pandemic has been blamed for overheating the local construction market for years, and contributing to the collapse of hundreds of businesses.

Introduced in mid-2020, just days after the federal government announced its own home building grant program, the McGowan government’s Building Bonus scheme offered WA residents $20,000 for embarking on the construction of a new home within six months.