❓ Mr L'Estrange asks about the Department of Communities' use of commercial properties, including backpacker accommodation, for crisis housing. The Department declines to answer due to the resource burden of a manual file search.
AnsweredQoN 5965Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to reports of the Department of Communities using backpacker accommodation as crisis accommodation, and I ask (for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 to date): (a) How many different commercial properties were used as crisis accommodation (by region): (i) How many of these properties were located in the City of Perth; (ii) How many of these properties were backpacker-style lodgings; and (iii) Did tourist/normal-use backpackers have access to the accommodation facility at the same time; (b) How many people were placed at a commercial property for the purpose of crisis accommodation, by month: (i) For what reasons were people placed at these commercial properties; (ii) How many of these crisis accommodation clients were transferred to a State Government-sponsored housing program, such as public housing or rental assistance (by program classification); and (iii) For those not transferred to such a program, why was this not the case; (c) On average, how many nights did crisis accommodation clients stay at each commercial property; and (d) What was the average cost per person per night?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 March 2020
Responded by
Minister for Community Services
Response time
9 days
In order to obtain this information, the Department of Communities (Communities) would need to conduct a manual search of individual personal case files. This which would take significant time and effort and it would be unreasonable to apply operational resources to undertake this task.
Communities uses a range of commercial providers for short-term purchased crisis accommodation. By its very nature, crisis accommodation is usually sourced at short notice and , at times , late at night. This understandably restricts the options available to Communities, particularly in regional areas where accommodation offerings are limited.
In situations where people have been provided with paid accommodation, and they are assessed as highly vulnerable, Communities staff may provide additional ongoing support over the phone or face-to-face to ensure the person being accommodated is safe, has enough food, and is able to access further support as soon as possible. In the vast majority of cases where Communities places people in crisis accommodation they do not stay beyond one or two nights.
Communities uses a range of commercial providers for short-term purchased crisis accommodation. By its very nature, crisis accommodation is usually sourced at short notice and , at times , late at night. This understandably restricts the options available to Communities, particularly in regional areas where accommodation offerings are limited.
In situations where people have been provided with paid accommodation, and they are assessed as highly vulnerable, Communities staff may provide additional ongoing support over the phone or face-to-face to ensure the person being accommodated is safe, has enough food, and is able to access further support as soon as possible. In the vast majority of cases where Communities places people in crisis accommodation they do not stay beyond one or two nights.
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