Labor pledges $210m housing package as Liberals get tough on crime

A re-elected Cook Labor government would build up to 1000 new units as part of its Keystart shared-equity scheme, while the Opposition promises to “name and shame” prison fugitives as part of its tough-on-crime commitment.

On Sunday, with the election just weeks away, Premier Roger Cook and Housing Minister John Carey unveiled the government’s latest policy: $210 million injection into the Keystart shared-equity scheme and the delivery of up to 1000 new units to boost home affordability.

Under the policy, the government will take out up to a 35 per cent equity share (or $250,000) in the purchase of new apartments and townhouses (off-the-plan and under construction), in a bid to make upfront cost and ongoing mortgage repayments more affordable for lower-income residents.

WA Premier Roger Cook and Liberal leader Libby Mettam have unveiled more policies over the weekend.Credit: WAtoday

Income limits for the new shared-equity products will be set at thresholds of up to $123,000 for single people and $189,000 for couples and families.

Cook said the scheme “will put home ownership within the reach of thousands of West Australians and is an important initiative”.

“Shared-equity loans mean the government takes on a portion of the debt of a new loan purchase effectively as a silent partner,” he said.

“Under our plan...we’ll offer to take an equity share of up to 35 per cent or $250,000 for 1000 new apartments and townhouses.”

Opposition housing spokesman Steve Martin said “Labor have run Keystart into the ground”, saying Labor has “had eight years” in government yet the scheme has amounted to little.

“And...so is the $210 million announcement for housing from Premier Cook today more or less than the amount for the rugby team, for Roger’s rugby team?” he asked, a rhetorical gibe at rugby league fan Cook’s ongoing efforts to negotiate for a Perth NRL team.

Also on Sunday, the WA Liberals announced that if elected they would order a $2 million review of the Sentence Administration Act and also strengthen the WA Prisoners Review Board in their first 100 days of government.

Under a raft of new measures to tackle crime, $100 million would be put towards an additional 300 GPS tracking bracelets for dangerous offenders and the names of all prisoners and parolees on the run from WA Police would be made public.

Clarifying the breakdown of $330,000 per tracker, shadow attorney-general Nick Goiran said the $100 million “also includes increasing capacity within corrective services”.

Goiran and party leader Libby Mettam said their policies were aimed at restoring faith in the criminal justice system.

They highlighted the cases of Georgia Lyall, whose murderer was released on parole two years early despite a history of extreme violence, and Mark Anthony Unchango jnr, who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old and after being released on a post-sentence supervision order is now charged and accused of following a woman from Whitfords Station and violently raping her.

“There is a lack of confidence in the justice system under the Cook Labor government and it is no wonder we have seen a number of fugitives or escapees, criminals on the run, whose details have not been made public,” Mettam told reporters on Sunday.

“If it was not for issues raised in the parliament, we would not have seen any details provided for some of these fugitives.”