❓ The Premier addresses a question regarding actions taken to address homelessness in Perth since December 2018, highlighting government investment, a new homelessness strategy, and collaboration with the City of Perth.
AnsweredQoN 562Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOMELESSNESS
562. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Premier:
I refer to the City of Perth
Committee meeting in December 2018, at which homelessness was raised with the
Premier as a critical issue impacting on both small business and the community
more broadly, as well as the devastating impact on those experiencing
homelessness first-hand. Will the Premier update the house on what he has done
on this issue since December last year?
562. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Premier:
I refer to the City of Perth
Committee meeting in December 2018, at which homelessness was raised with the
Premier as a critical issue impacting on both small business and the community
more broadly, as well as the devastating impact on those experiencing
homelessness first-hand. Will the Premier update the house on what he has done
on this issue since December last year?
AnswerView source ↗
Just to put a bit of context around
it, obviously homelessness has been an issue that has been around in Western Australia for a very, very long time. If
people travel around Australian cities, or if they travel to cities around the world, they will find it is very, very prevalent. If people go to Sydney
today, they will see many homeless people. When I was younger, I travelled to
the United States. The scale of homelessness in the United States was really
quite shocking. European cities and Asian cities are the same. It is an issue
that has bedevilled communities across the globe.
As I outlined to the house before,
the Western Australian government has devoted $90 million to delivering
specialist homelessness services each and every year, with crisis accommodation
support, housing support, and outreach for those sleeping rough. We are
currently developing the first 10-year homelessness strategy, which will be
finalised in November this year. That outlines actions for providing people who
are homeless or at risk of homelessness with better access to accommodation and
support.
When it comes to the City of Perth,
obviously the City of Perth is treating the issue far more seriously these days
than it used to. Under the old management of the City of Perth, homelessness
was never mentioned. In fact, people who are homeless were demonised under the
old City of Perth. Some of the language that came out of the City of Perth back
then was really quite extreme, as has been some of the language I have heard
from some conservative politicians more recently about people in the city who
may be homeless. We are working cooperatively with the City of Perth. Last
Wednesday, the City of Perth endorsed its interim homelessness plan for 2019–20.
It agreed to a range of measures: improved
coordination of services; implementation of an assertive outreach service;
expansion of the operating hours of the existing day centre from 7.00 am
to 7.00 pm seven days a week; establishment of a safe shelter outside the
central business district, with support services; and the establishment of a lower
barrier to social housing options within the city.
I
note that about three weeks ago, the member for Perth and I had a meeting with
the commissioners of the City of Perth. We put a range of those ideas to
the commissioners, and I am pleased to see that the commissioners have adopted
those ideas. In particular, I would like to congratulate the member for Perth,
who presented some of those ideas to the commissioners. I would also like to
thank the commissioners for their swift response. We have to remember that they
have been in office for a little over 12 months, and turning that ship around—as
I have learnt in office—does take a bit of time. The member for Perth
in particular had those ideas, and in particular the idea around expanding the
operating hours of the existing day centres, and also a safe shelter outside
the central business district, with support services, and I am pleased the City
of Perth is adopting that.
it, obviously homelessness has been an issue that has been around in Western Australia for a very, very long time. If
people travel around Australian cities, or if they travel to cities around the world, they will find it is very, very prevalent. If people go to Sydney
today, they will see many homeless people. When I was younger, I travelled to
the United States. The scale of homelessness in the United States was really
quite shocking. European cities and Asian cities are the same. It is an issue
that has bedevilled communities across the globe.
As I outlined to the house before,
the Western Australian government has devoted $90 million to delivering
specialist homelessness services each and every year, with crisis accommodation
support, housing support, and outreach for those sleeping rough. We are
currently developing the first 10-year homelessness strategy, which will be
finalised in November this year. That outlines actions for providing people who
are homeless or at risk of homelessness with better access to accommodation and
support.
When it comes to the City of Perth,
obviously the City of Perth is treating the issue far more seriously these days
than it used to. Under the old management of the City of Perth, homelessness
was never mentioned. In fact, people who are homeless were demonised under the
old City of Perth. Some of the language that came out of the City of Perth back
then was really quite extreme, as has been some of the language I have heard
from some conservative politicians more recently about people in the city who
may be homeless. We are working cooperatively with the City of Perth. Last
Wednesday, the City of Perth endorsed its interim homelessness plan for 2019–20.
It agreed to a range of measures: improved
coordination of services; implementation of an assertive outreach service;
expansion of the operating hours of the existing day centre from 7.00 am
to 7.00 pm seven days a week; establishment of a safe shelter outside the
central business district, with support services; and the establishment of a lower
barrier to social housing options within the city.
I
note that about three weeks ago, the member for Perth and I had a meeting with
the commissioners of the City of Perth. We put a range of those ideas to
the commissioners, and I am pleased to see that the commissioners have adopted
those ideas. In particular, I would like to congratulate the member for Perth,
who presented some of those ideas to the commissioners. I would also like to
thank the commissioners for their swift response. We have to remember that they
have been in office for a little over 12 months, and turning that ship around—as
I have learnt in office—does take a bit of time. The member for Perth
in particular had those ideas, and in particular the idea around expanding the
operating hours of the existing day centres, and also a safe shelter outside
the central business district, with support services, and I am pleased the City
of Perth is adopting that.
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