❓ Ms. Tonkin asks about the government's homelessness initiatives. The Minister responds by outlining investments in the 'All paths lead to a home' strategy, Common Ground facilities, Housing First approach, local government co-funding, and support for Aboriginal-controlled organisations.
AnsweredQoN 841Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOMELESSNESS
841. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness. Can the
minister update the house on this government's unprecedented investment
in tackling homelessness and the evidence-based initiatives it is implementing
to deliver lasting solutions to this issue?
841. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness. Can the
minister update the house on this government's unprecedented investment
in tackling homelessness and the evidence-based initiatives it is implementing
to deliver lasting solutions to this issue?
AnswerView source ↗
I can certainly address the issues
that the member outlined. I thank her for the question.
Members
would have heard me speak in this house before about the state's first
ever homelessness strategy All paths lead to a home . In
fact, the sector calls it a world-leading strategy and plan. We have not only
taken the time to develop that plan, but also committed significant new funds
on top of the $108 million that government already spends supporting important
community organisations throughout Perth and regional Western Australia,
including Uniting WA, Centrecare, Anglicare,
Ruah Community Services, the Salvation Army Western Australia and St Patrick's Community Support Centre to name a few. Those organisations are out there every
day supporting people who are experiencing homelessness, and we are happy to
support them. In addition to that we have invested $73.5 million for two Common
Ground facilities. There will be a facility in East Perth and one in Mandurah.
Those facilities will deliver more than 160 apartments for rough sleepers and
low-income earners. Members might have seen on social media that just yesterday
I was pleased to share the design images for the East Perth facility. It is an
exciting milestone in this project for Perth and Western Australia.
We have also invested $34.5 million
over five years for the implementation of the Housing First approach across the Perth metropolitan area and the regions of
Geraldton and Bunbury. In addition to this, we are investing $ 6 million
in local government to co-fund local responses and, for the first time in Western
Australia, we have given a contract to an Aboriginal-controlled organisation to
run the Boorloo Bidee Mia facility in Wellington Street.
The Housing First initiative is an
important program that is delivering new staff on the ground out in
metropolitan areas and, as I said, in Bunbury and Geraldton. They are working
with people who are experiencing homelessness to provide them with case support
and to help them find and maintain a home. In Bunbury, this has been delivered by a consortium of Anglicare WA, Doors Wide Open
and the Breakaway Aboriginal Corporation. They have been working since
the beginning of the year to set up that organisation. They are working with
the social housing organisation Housing Choices Western Australia to prioritise
the securing of housing for people through the Housing First initiative. In
Bunbury alone, already three rough sleepers have been relocated to their own
homes, with another five expected to be placed in the coming weeks.
We
are responding to the emerging needs and opportunities in the community, but
also the evidence. We are drawing on the evidence base of what we know
works—what the research tells us we know works—to support
vulnerable people and give them the best chance of being able to find and stay
in their forever home. Homelessness needs a whole-of-community
response from all levels of government, but also the services sector and the
community itself . I am pleased to say that the McGowan government is
taking the lead. I am actually out there meeting people who are not only
delivering those services, but also receiving those services, and I am very
proud of the work we are doing. It is making a difference to people's
lives. I am meeting those people in my own electorate of Fremantle, in regional
Western Australia and in the city. We are changing lives and I am very proud to
be part of a government that is committed to doing that.
that the member outlined. I thank her for the question.
Members
would have heard me speak in this house before about the state's first
ever homelessness strategy All paths lead to a home . In
fact, the sector calls it a world-leading strategy and plan. We have not only
taken the time to develop that plan, but also committed significant new funds
on top of the $108 million that government already spends supporting important
community organisations throughout Perth and regional Western Australia,
including Uniting WA, Centrecare, Anglicare,
Ruah Community Services, the Salvation Army Western Australia and St Patrick's Community Support Centre to name a few. Those organisations are out there every
day supporting people who are experiencing homelessness, and we are happy to
support them. In addition to that we have invested $73.5 million for two Common
Ground facilities. There will be a facility in East Perth and one in Mandurah.
Those facilities will deliver more than 160 apartments for rough sleepers and
low-income earners. Members might have seen on social media that just yesterday
I was pleased to share the design images for the East Perth facility. It is an
exciting milestone in this project for Perth and Western Australia.
We have also invested $34.5 million
over five years for the implementation of the Housing First approach across the Perth metropolitan area and the regions of
Geraldton and Bunbury. In addition to this, we are investing $ 6 million
in local government to co-fund local responses and, for the first time in Western
Australia, we have given a contract to an Aboriginal-controlled organisation to
run the Boorloo Bidee Mia facility in Wellington Street.
The Housing First initiative is an
important program that is delivering new staff on the ground out in
metropolitan areas and, as I said, in Bunbury and Geraldton. They are working
with people who are experiencing homelessness to provide them with case support
and to help them find and maintain a home. In Bunbury, this has been delivered by a consortium of Anglicare WA, Doors Wide Open
and the Breakaway Aboriginal Corporation. They have been working since
the beginning of the year to set up that organisation. They are working with
the social housing organisation Housing Choices Western Australia to prioritise
the securing of housing for people through the Housing First initiative. In
Bunbury alone, already three rough sleepers have been relocated to their own
homes, with another five expected to be placed in the coming weeks.
We
are responding to the emerging needs and opportunities in the community, but
also the evidence. We are drawing on the evidence base of what we know
works—what the research tells us we know works—to support
vulnerable people and give them the best chance of being able to find and stay
in their forever home. Homelessness needs a whole-of-community
response from all levels of government, but also the services sector and the
community itself . I am pleased to say that the McGowan government is
taking the lead. I am actually out there meeting people who are not only
delivering those services, but also receiving those services, and I am very
proud of the work we are doing. It is making a difference to people's
lives. I am meeting those people in my own electorate of Fremantle, in regional
Western Australia and in the city. We are changing lives and I am very proud to
be part of a government that is committed to doing that.
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