❓ Dr. Jacobs raises concerns about inadequate accommodation for Indigenous visitors in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The Minister responds by detailing the opening of a new Indigenous Visitors' Hostel with wraparound services, funded by federal and state contributions, and managed by the Australian Red Cross.
AnsweredQoN 495Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KALGOORLIE–BOULDER —
Indigenous Visitor Hostel
495. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Housing:
For many years I have been concerned
about the living conditions of Indigenous people who come to Kalgoorlie–Boulder
from outlying communities for short stays and end up sleeping rough or cramming
into overcrowded public housing. Can the minister please update the house on
what has been done to provide suitable accommodation for these people?
Indigenous Visitor Hostel
495. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Housing:
For many years I have been concerned
about the living conditions of Indigenous people who come to Kalgoorlie–Boulder
from outlying communities for short stays and end up sleeping rough or cramming
into overcrowded public housing. Can the minister please update the house on
what has been done to provide suitable accommodation for these people?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for the
question and for his long-term advocacy for this challenge in the Kalgoorlie–Boulder
area. I understand that on a number of occasions he has been lobbied on a range
of issues, including location and so on, to land a good outcome. The issue that
the member talks about is not just an issue for Kalgoorlie–Boulder;
people from a number of remote Indigenous communities throughout Western
Australia in particular need to come to some of the bigger centres to access a
range of health services and cultural services and also for personal reasons
and the like. Without suitable short-stay accommodation, that becomes very
challenging. There can be a lot of overcrowding in some of the housing that is
available for those people who come to the bigger centres. In some cases, they
can also sleep quite rough.
In 2008, the federal government put on the table $2 million
to support the Indigenous Visitors' Hostel in Kalgoorlie–Boulder.
That was supported by an extra $1.25 million in royalties for regions funding.
It gave me great pleasure to formally open that facility last week and to pass
the keys to the Australian Red Cross, which will be the service provider. The
Department for Child Protection will manage the services that it delivers to
those people, specifically to the Spinifex people who come off ''the
lands''. It is short-stay accommodation. The facility will offer safe
and comfortable accommodation for those who come to town for short periods of
time. It has capacity for 41 visitors, with 20 visitors in hostel-style
accommodation and 21 in camp-style accommodation, which was one of the requests
made during the consultation process. I am very pleased to see that we have a
very motivated group to make that work.
I want to make particular reference to Mr Harry Hogan, the
Indigenous gentleman off the lands who did the welcome to country ceremony. I
think his welcome to country ceremony went a bit further than what might
normally be expected in that he painted a vision of how this facility will
significantly help his people and meet their desire for suitable short-stay
accommodation in Kalgoorlie–Boulder and their particular needs. He went
on to say that he would be right behind the centre to ensure that there is
confidence in the service providers and in all the people who will play a role.
The other point to note is that this facility is not just for
people to visit and stay for a short period; there are also some wraparound
services. As a package, it is the first time we have purpose-built
accommodation in Western Australia with the necessary wraparound support
services. It has been done in such a way that the facility suits the particular
needs of the people who will use it. They had strong input to the outcomes.
When I see the passion of the people who will be playing a role in the
facility, it certainly gives me confidence that it will be a good outcome. We
want this facility to be modelled elsewhere in the state, and we are taking
steps down that path. The facility that was opened last week will be a
significant step in the right direction. I look forward to its continued
success.
question and for his long-term advocacy for this challenge in the Kalgoorlie–Boulder
area. I understand that on a number of occasions he has been lobbied on a range
of issues, including location and so on, to land a good outcome. The issue that
the member talks about is not just an issue for Kalgoorlie–Boulder;
people from a number of remote Indigenous communities throughout Western
Australia in particular need to come to some of the bigger centres to access a
range of health services and cultural services and also for personal reasons
and the like. Without suitable short-stay accommodation, that becomes very
challenging. There can be a lot of overcrowding in some of the housing that is
available for those people who come to the bigger centres. In some cases, they
can also sleep quite rough.
In 2008, the federal government put on the table $2 million
to support the Indigenous Visitors' Hostel in Kalgoorlie–Boulder.
That was supported by an extra $1.25 million in royalties for regions funding.
It gave me great pleasure to formally open that facility last week and to pass
the keys to the Australian Red Cross, which will be the service provider. The
Department for Child Protection will manage the services that it delivers to
those people, specifically to the Spinifex people who come off ''the
lands''. It is short-stay accommodation. The facility will offer safe
and comfortable accommodation for those who come to town for short periods of
time. It has capacity for 41 visitors, with 20 visitors in hostel-style
accommodation and 21 in camp-style accommodation, which was one of the requests
made during the consultation process. I am very pleased to see that we have a
very motivated group to make that work.
I want to make particular reference to Mr Harry Hogan, the
Indigenous gentleman off the lands who did the welcome to country ceremony. I
think his welcome to country ceremony went a bit further than what might
normally be expected in that he painted a vision of how this facility will
significantly help his people and meet their desire for suitable short-stay
accommodation in Kalgoorlie–Boulder and their particular needs. He went
on to say that he would be right behind the centre to ensure that there is
confidence in the service providers and in all the people who will play a role.
The other point to note is that this facility is not just for
people to visit and stay for a short period; there are also some wraparound
services. As a package, it is the first time we have purpose-built
accommodation in Western Australia with the necessary wraparound support
services. It has been done in such a way that the facility suits the particular
needs of the people who will use it. They had strong input to the outcomes.
When I see the passion of the people who will be playing a role in the
facility, it certainly gives me confidence that it will be a good outcome. We
want this facility to be modelled elsewhere in the state, and we are taking
steps down that path. The facility that was opened last week will be a
significant step in the right direction. I look forward to its continued
success.
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