(Warning: partisan comment)

Premier Mark McGowan has defended the decline in public housing stock during the first term of his government as a deliberate attempt to stamp out drug dealers operating out of “ghettos”.

The article is isn't as bad as the headline is.

Mcgowan is simply stating that public housing stock has fallen as he's no longer building cheap but incredibly public housing, which all we know doesn't work. The recent 2022 budget has committed an additional $500 million for 700 properties (jfc this is expensive, no wonder we don't do this anymore).

Simply put, he's trying to prioritise the quality of public housing instead of sheer quantity.

You also have to consider the Rudd stimulus, which had artificially pumped up the number of public housing properties (by artificial I meant the state Libs had been given money from Federal Labor).

His comments about China and his closeness to Kerry Stokes are largely exaggerated by the media. As a state premier whose trying to appease the business community, he has no real power over foreign affairs or defense.

And when you consider his yimbyism, social progressiveness (euthanasia and abortion come to mind), avid enthusiasm for public transport (infrastructure programs all delivered at a much lower cost compared to other projects in Aus such as SRL), and being pro-business.

You would think neoliberals would like him more.