❓ Hon Martin Aldridge asks about Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) allocated to departments under the Minister's control, including details on property allocation, rent, and market value assessments. The Minister provides a detailed breakdown of GROH properties managed by the Department of Communities, including regional allocation, rental arrangements, and valuation processes.
AnsweredQoN 2297Legislative Council
Asked
27 June 2019
Member
Portfolio
Child Protection; Women's Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Government Regional Officer Housing that is allocated to your
departments and I ask with respect to each department under your control: (a) how many properties
are allocated to each department; (b) if these properties
are provided from an individual or
organisation other than the Department of Communities (Housing) please identify
the source; (c) please provide a
breakdown of housing by departmental region; (d) please identify the
number of properties per region where officers or staff are required to pay
rent and those which receive their accommodation rent free; (e) with respect to
officers and staff who pay rent please identify the variance between the rent
paid by the officer or staff member and the cost paid by the department to provide the property in total by region; (f) is the cost charged
to the department a charge based on market value, and
who determines market value; and (g) if yes to (f), how
frequently is a review of the applicable market value undertaken?
departments and I ask with respect to each department under your control: (a) how many properties
are allocated to each department; (b) if these properties
are provided from an individual or
organisation other than the Department of Communities (Housing) please identify
the source; (c) please provide a
breakdown of housing by departmental region; (d) please identify the
number of properties per region where officers or staff are required to pay
rent and those which receive their accommodation rent free; (e) with respect to
officers and staff who pay rent please identify the variance between the rent
paid by the officer or staff member and the cost paid by the department to provide the property in total by region; (f) is the cost charged
to the department a charge based on market value, and
who determines market value; and (g) if yes to (f), how
frequently is a review of the applicable market value undertaken?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 August 2019
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection; Women's Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services
Response time
9 days
This answer covers multiple Ministers’ portfolios, including Disability Services, Seniors and Ageing, Volunteering, Housing, Veterans Issues, Youth, as well as my Child Protection, Women’s Interests, Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence and Community Services portfolios.
The Department of Communities includes the former agencies of Child Protection and Family Support, the Housing Authority, Disability Services Commission and components of the former Local Government and Communities.
The data referred to below is accurate as at 15 July 2019.
(a) The Department of Communities is the agency responsible for the Government Regional Officers’ Housing (GROH) program. Under the program, the Department of Communities owns or leases 4,503 properties which are allocated to State Government agencies to meet accommodation requirements of public sector employees across regional Western Australia.
There are 321 GROH properties allocated to the Department of Communities for use as staff accommodation.
(b) Of the 321 properties allocated to the Department of Communities, 132 are leased from the private rental market.
(c) The number of properties allocated to each Department of Communities’ region is as follows:
Region
Number of properties
East Kimberley
70
Goldfields
37
Great Southern
5
Mid West
20
Pilbara
95
South West
1
West Kimberley
79
Wheatbelt
14
Total
321
(d) The breakdown of properties where the Department of Communities charges rent to its employees living in GROH accommodation or provides rent-free accommodation is as follows:
Region
Number of properties - rent paid by staff
Number of properties – rent-free accommodation
East Kimberley
46
21
Goldfields
26
9
Great Southern
3
1
Mid West
14
4
Pilbara
70
10
South West
1
0
West Kimberley
60
10
Wheatbelt
10
3
Total
230
58
Of the 321 properties allocated to the Department of Communities, 33 are vacant.
(e) Under the GROH program, the Department of Communities charges rent to government agencies for the lease of an allocated GROH property. Where the Department of Communities allocates a property for the use of its own employees in regional locations, the GROH program will charge rent to the Department.
Region
Agency rent
($)
Tenant rent
($)
Variance
($)
East Kimberley
50,177
8,063
42,115
Goldfields
19,985
6,352
13,633
Great Southern
850
480
370
Mid West
11,398
2,713
8,685
Pilbara
67,674
16,296
51,379
South West
350
262
89
West Kimberley
49,892
14,763
35,129
Wheatbelt
5,714
2,412
3,303
Total
206,040
51,339
154,701
(f) The rent charged by the Department of Communities to government agencies for the use of a GROH property is calculated in accordance with the GROH Client Agency Rent Policy. Under the policy, the rent is determined according the following conditions:
(g) In accordance with the GROH Client Agency Rent Policy, the rents charged to government agencies, including the Department of Communities, are reviewed on an annual basis. Market rents for GROH properties owned by the Department of Communities are determined annually by an independent valuer.
The Department of Communities includes the former agencies of Child Protection and Family Support, the Housing Authority, Disability Services Commission and components of the former Local Government and Communities.
The data referred to below is accurate as at 15 July 2019.
(a) The Department of Communities is the agency responsible for the Government Regional Officers’ Housing (GROH) program. Under the program, the Department of Communities owns or leases 4,503 properties which are allocated to State Government agencies to meet accommodation requirements of public sector employees across regional Western Australia.
There are 321 GROH properties allocated to the Department of Communities for use as staff accommodation.
(b) Of the 321 properties allocated to the Department of Communities, 132 are leased from the private rental market.
(c) The number of properties allocated to each Department of Communities’ region is as follows:
Region
Number of properties
East Kimberley
70
Goldfields
37
Great Southern
5
Mid West
20
Pilbara
95
South West
1
West Kimberley
79
Wheatbelt
14
Total
321
(d) The breakdown of properties where the Department of Communities charges rent to its employees living in GROH accommodation or provides rent-free accommodation is as follows:
Region
Number of properties - rent paid by staff
Number of properties – rent-free accommodation
East Kimberley
46
21
Goldfields
26
9
Great Southern
3
1
Mid West
14
4
Pilbara
70
10
South West
1
0
West Kimberley
60
10
Wheatbelt
10
3
Total
230
58
Of the 321 properties allocated to the Department of Communities, 33 are vacant.
(e) Under the GROH program, the Department of Communities charges rent to government agencies for the lease of an allocated GROH property. Where the Department of Communities allocates a property for the use of its own employees in regional locations, the GROH program will charge rent to the Department.
Region
Agency rent
($)
Tenant rent
($)
Variance
($)
East Kimberley
50,177
8,063
42,115
Goldfields
19,985
6,352
13,633
Great Southern
850
480
370
Mid West
11,398
2,713
8,685
Pilbara
67,674
16,296
51,379
South West
350
262
89
West Kimberley
49,892
14,763
35,129
Wheatbelt
5,714
2,412
3,303
Total
206,040
51,339
154,701
(f) The rent charged by the Department of Communities to government agencies for the use of a GROH property is calculated in accordance with the GROH Client Agency Rent Policy. Under the policy, the rent is determined according the following conditions:
(g) In accordance with the GROH Client Agency Rent Policy, the rents charged to government agencies, including the Department of Communities, are reviewed on an annual basis. Market rents for GROH properties owned by the Department of Communities are determined annually by an independent valuer.
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