❓ Hon Jacqui Boydell asks about the number of Department of Housing owned/leased houses in Pilbara towns, noise/disorder complaints, and the Department's responses. The Minister provides data on housing numbers, complaint statistics, and outlines the Department's disruptive behaviour management strategy.
AnsweredQoN 2161Legislative Council
Asked
16 May 2019
Member
Portfolio
Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth; Asian Engagement
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Pilbara towns of Newman, Port Hedland, Karratha, Roebourne, Tom Price and Wickham, 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 each of the past 5 years; (b) on how many occasions in the last five 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 was provided by the Department of Housing on each of the occasions in (b)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
27 June 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth; Asian Engagement
Response time
15 days
(a) Number of houses in each town:
Year
Type
Newman
Hedland*
Karratha**
Roebourne
Tom Price
Wickham***
2015
Public Housing
78
607
493
101
20
74
GROH
152
436
674
40
81
47
Community Housing
1
54
16
6
0
2
Total
231
1,097
1,183
147
101
123
2016
Public Housing
78
603
491
99
20
74
GROH
160
431
642
39
80
54
Community Housing
1
54
5
6
0
2
Total
239
1,088
1,138
144
100
130
2017
Public Housing
73
605
497
99
20
74
GROH
152
444
580
39
80
51
Community Housing
1
54
5
6
0
2
Total
226
1,103
1,082
144
100
127
2018
Public Housing
73
598
494
102
19
74
GROH
145
354
530
39
78
46
Community Housing
1
52
5
6
0
2
Total
219
1,004
1,029
147
97
122
2019 YTD
Public Housing
69
589
482
104
19
74
GROH
141
422
524
33
78
45
Community Housing
1
37
5
6
0
2
Total
211
1,048
1,011
143
97
121
Please note:
*Hedland includes the suburbs of Port Hedland, Spinifex Hill, Cooke Point, Pretty Pool, South Hedland, Walnut Grove, Shellborough, Lawson, Koombana, Cassia and Boodarie.
**Karratha includes the suburbs of Karratha, Nickol, Nickol West, Tambrey, Millars Well, Bulgarra, Baynton, Baynton West and Pegs Creek.
***Wickham includes the suburbs of Wickham and Point Samson.
(b) The Department of Communities (Communities) reports on disruptive behaviour by financial year by region. Complaints are not broken down by category as complaints may encompass multiple incident types including, but not limited to: excessive noise, abusive language, physical violence, trespass and property damage.
Complaints received in the Pilbara region:
Disruptive Behaviour Complaints Received - Public Housing Tenancies in the Pilbara Region
Financial Year
No. of Complaints
2014-15
515
2015-16
537
2016-17
515
2017-18
618
2018-19 YTD
458
Please note:
(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 them 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 Support and Tenant Education Program and, where appropriate, Aboriginal Customer Services Officers. Where children are involved, the tenancy will also be referred to Child Protection and Family Support 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 – Pilbara Region
Strikes
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19 YTD
First Strikes
60
79
62
67
76
Second Strikes
30
25
12
13
33
Final Strikes
4
8
6
0
1
Please Note:
Year
Type
Newman
Hedland*
Karratha**
Roebourne
Tom Price
Wickham***
2015
Public Housing
78
607
493
101
20
74
GROH
152
436
674
40
81
47
Community Housing
1
54
16
6
0
2
Total
231
1,097
1,183
147
101
123
2016
Public Housing
78
603
491
99
20
74
GROH
160
431
642
39
80
54
Community Housing
1
54
5
6
0
2
Total
239
1,088
1,138
144
100
130
2017
Public Housing
73
605
497
99
20
74
GROH
152
444
580
39
80
51
Community Housing
1
54
5
6
0
2
Total
226
1,103
1,082
144
100
127
2018
Public Housing
73
598
494
102
19
74
GROH
145
354
530
39
78
46
Community Housing
1
52
5
6
0
2
Total
219
1,004
1,029
147
97
122
2019 YTD
Public Housing
69
589
482
104
19
74
GROH
141
422
524
33
78
45
Community Housing
1
37
5
6
0
2
Total
211
1,048
1,011
143
97
121
Please note:
*Hedland includes the suburbs of Port Hedland, Spinifex Hill, Cooke Point, Pretty Pool, South Hedland, Walnut Grove, Shellborough, Lawson, Koombana, Cassia and Boodarie.
**Karratha includes the suburbs of Karratha, Nickol, Nickol West, Tambrey, Millars Well, Bulgarra, Baynton, Baynton West and Pegs Creek.
***Wickham includes the suburbs of Wickham and Point Samson.
(b) The Department of Communities (Communities) reports on disruptive behaviour by financial year by region. Complaints are not broken down by category as complaints may encompass multiple incident types including, but not limited to: excessive noise, abusive language, physical violence, trespass and property damage.
Complaints received in the Pilbara region:
Disruptive Behaviour Complaints Received - Public Housing Tenancies in the Pilbara Region
Financial Year
No. of Complaints
2014-15
515
2015-16
537
2016-17
515
2017-18
618
2018-19 YTD
458
Please note:
(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 them 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 Support and Tenant Education Program and, where appropriate, Aboriginal Customer Services Officers. Where children are involved, the tenancy will also be referred to Child Protection and Family Support 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 – Pilbara Region
Strikes
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19 YTD
First Strikes
60
79
62
67
76
Second Strikes
30
25
12
13
33
Final Strikes
4
8
6
0
1
Please Note:
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