❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about reasons for public housing removal and provides disposal numbers per region for financial years 2017-2023. The answer details reasons for removal, accuses the previous government of mismanagement, and provides disposal numbers, including Bentley Towers.
AnsweredQoN 1803Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Western Australia's public housing stock, and I ask: (a) for what reasons are homes usually removed from stock; and (b) how many homes have been removed from the total stock, per region, in the following financial years: (i) 2017-18; (ii) 2018-19; (iii) 2019-20; (iv) 2020-21; (v) 2021-22; and (vi) 2022-23?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 March 2024
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
5 days
(a)
Social housing may be removed from stock for a number of reasons. The State Government remains committed to increasing and maintaining the supply of social housing across Western Australia and has seen historical low disposals and sales, many of which were to tenants to support them in their journey into home ownership.
Homes may be considered for redevelopment or demolished for a number of reasons including, urban and regional renewal to help revitalise communities; natural hazards such as fire or flooding; intentional or accidental damage, resulting in the property no longer being fit for purpose and or when they are no longer viable to repair.
The State Government inherited significantly ageing and inappropriate public housing stock that had not been maintained or refurbished and was in poor condition, due to the mismanagement of the previous Liberal-National Government.
Under the former Liberal–National government, many hundreds of social homes that counted towards their social housing numbers lay vacant and derelict with no plans to redevelop them, including over 160 uninhabitable apartments in Brownlie Towers alone.
There has been significant work undertaken under this State Government to prioritise the redevelopment of large-scale projects that were neglected for years under the Government. These include North Beach, Subiaco East, Bentley and Stirling Towers.
(b) (i – vi)
Property Disposals
FY 2012 - 13
FY 2013 - 14
FY 2014 - 15
FY 2015 - 16
FY 2016 – 17
FY 2017-18
FY 2018 - 19
FY 2019 - 20
FY 2020 - 21
FY 2021 - 22
FY 2022 - 23
Total
367
287
268
292
195
398
441
651*
339
91
139
*This figure includes Bentley Towers which was left vacant and near derelict for years by the former Liberal-National Government.
Social housing may be removed from stock for a number of reasons. The State Government remains committed to increasing and maintaining the supply of social housing across Western Australia and has seen historical low disposals and sales, many of which were to tenants to support them in their journey into home ownership.
Homes may be considered for redevelopment or demolished for a number of reasons including, urban and regional renewal to help revitalise communities; natural hazards such as fire or flooding; intentional or accidental damage, resulting in the property no longer being fit for purpose and or when they are no longer viable to repair.
The State Government inherited significantly ageing and inappropriate public housing stock that had not been maintained or refurbished and was in poor condition, due to the mismanagement of the previous Liberal-National Government.
Under the former Liberal–National government, many hundreds of social homes that counted towards their social housing numbers lay vacant and derelict with no plans to redevelop them, including over 160 uninhabitable apartments in Brownlie Towers alone.
There has been significant work undertaken under this State Government to prioritise the redevelopment of large-scale projects that were neglected for years under the Government. These include North Beach, Subiaco East, Bentley and Stirling Towers.
(b) (i – vi)
Property Disposals
FY 2012 - 13
FY 2013 - 14
FY 2014 - 15
FY 2015 - 16
FY 2016 – 17
FY 2017-18
FY 2018 - 19
FY 2019 - 20
FY 2020 - 21
FY 2021 - 22
FY 2022 - 23
Total
367
287
268
292
195
398
441
651*
339
91
139
*This figure includes Bentley Towers which was left vacant and near derelict for years by the former Liberal-National Government.
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