LABOR’S HOUSING FAILURE DEEPENS AS COMPLETIONS COLLAPSE AND SOCIAL HOUSING DELIVERY HITS NEW LOW

Media Release – 9 April 2026

Sandra Brewer MLA
Shadow Treasurer; Shadow Minister for Housing

Dwelling completions are down in Western Australia for a fourth consecutive quarter,
rounding out a year of housing supply failures for the Cook Labor Government.

Today’s data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows just 4,441 seasonally
adjusted dwellings completed in the December 2025 quarter – a fall of 26 per cent from
a year prior. Shadow Minister for Housing Sandra Brewer slammed the result.

“A fourth straight quarterly decline is not a blip, it is a clear sign this government has lost
control of housing supply. While demand surges, Labor is overseeing a slump in housing
completions. That is the definition of policy failure.”

When it comes to social housing, the public sector made up just 2.4 per cent of
December quarter completions – its lowest contribution this decade. Only 98 public
houses and 10 units across the 3 months were recorded, while 23,120 people sat on the
social housing waitlist at 31 December 2025.

“The Housing Minister can deflect all he likes, but the reality is this crisis sits squarely
with him. The Premier cannot continue to ignore this - leadership means taking
responsibility when your government is failing,” Ms Brewer said.

“For only 108 social homes to be built in a three-month period is appalling, at a time
when people are desperately seeking a roof over their head.”

Residential construction capacity remains under significant strain from the Cook Labor
Government’s misplaced priorities. ABS data reveals that the real value of non
residential public work under construction has surged to the highest level ever
recorded, jumping 33 per cent in the quarter alone and overtaking the private sector for
the first time since March 2017.

“Whilst Treasurer Rita Saffioti is happy to use taxpayer funds on a film studio, water
amusement park and a racetrack at Burswood, WA families are feeling the pain of ever
rising housing costs, due to her misplaced priorities.

“How can you build a home, when the Treasurer Rita Saffioti employs all the workers
and takes all the materials for what she wants?

“Until this government gets its priorities right, housing supply will continue to fall and
the crisis will only get worse.

“Long suffering West Australian families are continually gas-lit by the government, who
say they are pulling ever lever. Falling completions shows the government’s lines on
housing for what they are – just PR spin,” Ms Brewer said.

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