❓ Addresses childcare worker housing shortage in the Kimberley, outlining existing rental assistance programs and planned construction, while highlighting limitations of Commonwealth support and GEHA eligibility.
AnsweredQoN 915Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
In light of the severe shortage of childcare workers in the Kimberley, will the minister outline the government’s proposals to - (a) provide immediate affordable housing for these workers, bearing in mind that the average earnings for childcare workers is at a rate of $10 to $15 an hour; and (b) consider including these workers in the Government Employees’ Housing Authority scheme in the longer term as a means of alleviating this shortage? Hon KATE DOUST
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised that Western Australian residents who meet the department’s eligibility criteria for Homeswest rental assistance may apply for priority rental assistance if they are in urgent need of housing and have no other viable housing options available to them. It should also be noted that, generally, childcare workers should be eligible for rental housing through Homeswest. The government is committed to increasing the amount of rental accommodation, and the Department of Housing and Works will commence construction of 38 new residential properties in the Kimberley during 2005-06. The department is aware of the lack of affordable housing available to those on low incomes and has put in place initiatives to assist this group to access housing. These initiatives include the bond assistance loan scheme, under which an interest-free loan to cover the four weeks rent needed by people to obtain private rental accommodation is provided. In some cases of undue hardship, the department will also loan the ingoing fees to cover the letting fee and the two weeks rent in advance. Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
(b) consider including these workers in the Government Employees’ Housing Authority scheme in the longer term as a means of alleviating this shortage?
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised that Western Australian residents who meet the department’s eligibility criteria for Homeswest rental assistance may apply for priority rental assistance if they are in urgent need of housing and have no other viable housing options available to them. It should also be noted that, generally, childcare workers should be eligible for rental housing through Homeswest. The government is committed to increasing the amount of rental accommodation, and the Department of Housing and Works will commence construction of 38 new residential properties in the Kimberley during 2005-06. The department is aware of the lack of affordable housing available to those on low incomes and has put in place initiatives to assist this group to access housing. These initiatives include the bond assistance loan scheme, under which an interest-free loan to cover the four weeks rent needed by people to obtain private rental accommodation is provided. In some cases of undue hardship, the department will also loan the ingoing fees to cover the letting fee and the two weeks rent in advance. Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
I am advised that Western Australian residents who meet the department’s eligibility criteria for Homeswest rental assistance may apply for priority rental assistance if they are in urgent need of housing and have no other viable housing options available to them. It should also be noted that, generally, childcare workers should be eligible for rental housing through Homeswest. The government is committed to increasing the amount of rental accommodation, and the Department of Housing and Works will commence construction of 38 new residential properties in the Kimberley during 2005-06. The department is aware of the lack of affordable housing available to those on low incomes and has put in place initiatives to assist this group to access housing. These initiatives include the bond assistance loan scheme, under which an interest-free loan to cover the four weeks rent needed by people to obtain private rental accommodation is provided. In some cases of undue hardship, the department will also loan the ingoing fees to cover the letting fee and the two weeks rent in advance. Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
(b) consider including these workers in the Government Employees’ Housing Authority scheme in the longer term as a means of alleviating this shortage?
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised that Western Australian residents who meet the department’s eligibility criteria for Homeswest rental assistance may apply for priority rental assistance if they are in urgent need of housing and have no other viable housing options available to them. It should also be noted that, generally, childcare workers should be eligible for rental housing through Homeswest. The government is committed to increasing the amount of rental accommodation, and the Department of Housing and Works will commence construction of 38 new residential properties in the Kimberley during 2005-06. The department is aware of the lack of affordable housing available to those on low incomes and has put in place initiatives to assist this group to access housing. These initiatives include the bond assistance loan scheme, under which an interest-free loan to cover the four weeks rent needed by people to obtain private rental accommodation is provided. In some cases of undue hardship, the department will also loan the ingoing fees to cover the letting fee and the two weeks rent in advance. Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
I am advised that Western Australian residents who meet the department’s eligibility criteria for Homeswest rental assistance may apply for priority rental assistance if they are in urgent need of housing and have no other viable housing options available to them. It should also be noted that, generally, childcare workers should be eligible for rental housing through Homeswest. The government is committed to increasing the amount of rental accommodation, and the Department of Housing and Works will commence construction of 38 new residential properties in the Kimberley during 2005-06. The department is aware of the lack of affordable housing available to those on low incomes and has put in place initiatives to assist this group to access housing. These initiatives include the bond assistance loan scheme, under which an interest-free loan to cover the four weeks rent needed by people to obtain private rental accommodation is provided. In some cases of undue hardship, the department will also loan the ingoing fees to cover the letting fee and the two weeks rent in advance. Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
Centrelink indexes commonwealth rent assistance biannually in line with increases in the consumer price index. However, the minister is very concerned about the inadequacy of rent assistance for people on low incomes living in regional Western Australia. He has raised this issue with the federal Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as the need to regionalise commonwealth rent assistance to help low-income households in country towns facing extremely high rents. The minister has so far received no positive response; however, he is continuing to pursue this issue. The minister suggests that the honourable member contact the minister directly so that some constructive progress can be achieved on the matter, and she should lobby her Liberal colleague in Canberra Senator Patterson to get real and allow some flexibility in commonwealth rent assistance to help these people. The commonwealth has refused outright to regionalise or even build flexibility into commonwealth rent assistance to alleviate the effects of high rents in the north west. Under GEHA’s enabling legislation, it can provide housing only for government employees. GEHA currently provides housing for the Department for Community Development, which may include some child carers. Should the Department for Community Development apply to GEHA for housing in the Kimberley, every effort would be made to meet those requirements. However, GEHA is unable to provide housing for private sector employees.
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