❓ Hon Jacqui Boydell asked about the number of Department of Housing properties in several Kimberley towns, the number of complaints lodged against them, and the Department's response to those complaints. The Minister provided data on property numbers, complaint statistics by region, and an outline of the Department's disruptive behaviour management strategy.
AnsweredQoN 2426Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the towns of Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, and I ask: (a) will the Minister provide the number of houses in each town owned and/or leased by the Department of Housing annually for the last five years; (b) on how many occasions in the last 5 years have each of the houses in (a) had noise complaints/disorderly conduct and/or damage complaints lodged against them; and (c) will the Minister outline what, if any, response came from the Department of Housing on each of the occasions in (b)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
9 days
(a) Number of houses in each town:
Public Housing
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Broome
834
879
888
870
883
Derby
301
322
325
324
324
Fitzroy Crossing
53
52
54
54
54
Halls Creek
195
195
212
216
216
Kununurra
297
291
327
326
321
Wyndham
86
86
89
86
82
TOTAL:
1766
1825
1895
1876
1880
Community Housing
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Broome
94
94
100
100
100
Derby
3
3
3
4
3
Fitzroy Crossing
1
1
1
1
1
Halls Creek
9
16
16
16
16
Kununurra
38
38
43
44
53
Wyndham
1
1
1
2
2
TOTAL:
146
153
164
167
175
GROH
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Broome
110
405
97
409
86
398
84
392
80
378
Derby
153
117
141
115
141
117
131
124
130
122
Fitzroy Crossing
78
3
78
3
78
3
80
2
81
3
Halls Creek
108
1
107
1
104
0
104
1
104
0
Kununurra
114
146
108
150
92
152
85
158
85
166
Wyndham
40
5
40
4
37
5
36
4
37
4
Sub Total:
603
677
571
682
538
675
520
681
517
673
TOTAL:
1280
1253
1213
1201
1190
All Property Types
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
TOTAL:
3192
3231
3272
3244
3245
Please note: Figures are based on data as at end of each financial year (i.e. 2018-19 FY - refers to date as at 30 June 2019).
(b) The Department of Communities (Communities) reports on disruptive behaviour by financial year by region. The towns of Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing fall within the East Kimberley and West Kimberley regions. Complaints are not broken down by category as complaints may encompass multiple behaviour types including, but not limited to; excessive noise, abusive language, physical violence, trespass and property damage.
Financial Year
Number of Complaints
East Kimberley
West Kimberley
2014-15
181
429
2015-16
136
316
2016-17
224
320
2017-18
236
322
2018-19
218
340
Please note: Complaints Received includes multiple complaints for the one incident and complaints not verified. Complaints Received includes disruptive behaviour & illegal use of premises.
(c) When disruptive behaviour complaints are received, Communities investigates in accordance with its obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and its Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy.
As a landlord, Communities must prove an incident has occurred as reported before taking action against a tenant. As part of its investigation, Communities will seek to corroborate complaints with independent witnesses and the WA Police where appropriate. It will also make all efforts to discuss complaints with the tenant and provide the tenant with an opportunity to respond via natural justice.
Should complaints be corroborated, Communities will issue a formal strike against the tenancy, which remains active for a 12-month period. Tenants who receive strikes are linked with supports to assist them in sustaining their tenancy, such as the new Thrive program and, where appropriate, Aboriginal Customer Services Officers.
The Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy is working to curb disruptive behaviour and sustain tenancies. Once a first strike is issued, there is a significant reduction in tenancies receiving further strikes. This is represented in the data below.
Public Housing Disruptive Behaviour Strikes - Kimberley Regions
Region
Strikes
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
East Kimberley
First Strikes
37
31
28
35
39
Second Strikes
22
11
11
8
13
Third Strikes
8
3
5
2
2
West Kimberley
First Strikes
78
48
50
47
46
Second Strikes
33
18
13
17
18
Third Strikes
8
8
2
1
6
Please note: Data is subject to revision – backdating may occur as a result of report capture and timing delays.
Public Housing
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Broome
834
879
888
870
883
Derby
301
322
325
324
324
Fitzroy Crossing
53
52
54
54
54
Halls Creek
195
195
212
216
216
Kununurra
297
291
327
326
321
Wyndham
86
86
89
86
82
TOTAL:
1766
1825
1895
1876
1880
Community Housing
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Broome
94
94
100
100
100
Derby
3
3
3
4
3
Fitzroy Crossing
1
1
1
1
1
Halls Creek
9
16
16
16
16
Kununurra
38
38
43
44
53
Wyndham
1
1
1
2
2
TOTAL:
146
153
164
167
175
GROH
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Owned
Leased
Broome
110
405
97
409
86
398
84
392
80
378
Derby
153
117
141
115
141
117
131
124
130
122
Fitzroy Crossing
78
3
78
3
78
3
80
2
81
3
Halls Creek
108
1
107
1
104
0
104
1
104
0
Kununurra
114
146
108
150
92
152
85
158
85
166
Wyndham
40
5
40
4
37
5
36
4
37
4
Sub Total:
603
677
571
682
538
675
520
681
517
673
TOTAL:
1280
1253
1213
1201
1190
All Property Types
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
TOTAL:
3192
3231
3272
3244
3245
Please note: Figures are based on data as at end of each financial year (i.e. 2018-19 FY - refers to date as at 30 June 2019).
(b) The Department of Communities (Communities) reports on disruptive behaviour by financial year by region. The towns of Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing fall within the East Kimberley and West Kimberley regions. Complaints are not broken down by category as complaints may encompass multiple behaviour types including, but not limited to; excessive noise, abusive language, physical violence, trespass and property damage.
Financial Year
Number of Complaints
East Kimberley
West Kimberley
2014-15
181
429
2015-16
136
316
2016-17
224
320
2017-18
236
322
2018-19
218
340
Please note: Complaints Received includes multiple complaints for the one incident and complaints not verified. Complaints Received includes disruptive behaviour & illegal use of premises.
(c) When disruptive behaviour complaints are received, Communities investigates in accordance with its obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and its Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy.
As a landlord, Communities must prove an incident has occurred as reported before taking action against a tenant. As part of its investigation, Communities will seek to corroborate complaints with independent witnesses and the WA Police where appropriate. It will also make all efforts to discuss complaints with the tenant and provide the tenant with an opportunity to respond via natural justice.
Should complaints be corroborated, Communities will issue a formal strike against the tenancy, which remains active for a 12-month period. Tenants who receive strikes are linked with supports to assist them in sustaining their tenancy, such as the new Thrive program and, where appropriate, Aboriginal Customer Services Officers.
The Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy is working to curb disruptive behaviour and sustain tenancies. Once a first strike is issued, there is a significant reduction in tenancies receiving further strikes. This is represented in the data below.
Public Housing Disruptive Behaviour Strikes - Kimberley Regions
Region
Strikes
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
East Kimberley
First Strikes
37
31
28
35
39
Second Strikes
22
11
11
8
13
Third Strikes
8
3
5
2
2
West Kimberley
First Strikes
78
48
50
47
46
Second Strikes
33
18
13
17
18
Third Strikes
8
8
2
1
6
Please note: Data is subject to revision – backdating may occur as a result of report capture and timing delays.
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