❓ Mrs. Harvey asks about the forecast increase in homelessness after the eviction moratorium ends. The Minister responds that there is no specific forecast and highlights efforts to improve data collection on homelessness and support vulnerable people.
AnsweredQoN 938Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOMELESSNESS
938. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Community Services:
I
refer to the extremely low rental vacancy rate and the number of Western Australians
moving home due to COVID , which is putting further pressure on housing.
What is the forecast increase in the number of homeless people when the
government's moratorium on evictions and rental increases ends in
March?
938. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Community Services:
I
refer to the extremely low rental vacancy rate and the number of Western Australians
moving home due to COVID , which is putting further pressure on housing.
What is the forecast increase in the number of homeless people when the
government's moratorium on evictions and rental increases ends in
March?
AnswerView source ↗
The
specific question that the Leader of the Opposition has asked me is about the
forecast for the number of homeless people after the moratorium we now
have on evictions. Actually, there is no specific forecast for homeless people.
We do not keep that data now and, as far as I know, nationally, there are no
datasets that project the number of homeless people. One of the reforms that we
have in place in Western Australia is to have better data collection on
homelessness in Western Australia. A lot of the data that we rely on now is
either census driven, which, of course, has
a lag to it, or is a result of homeless counts that local governments,
sometimes in cooperation, do in the metropolitan area or in regional
centres. One of the reforms that we have put in place in regard to the
homelessness strategy, which I think will stand us in good stead—I note
that the Leader of the Opposition's spokesperson on homelessness has
dismissed it and said it is a waste of time—is that we need to have
better data collection on homelessness in Western Australia, including tracking
those people who need our support. That is part of the work we are doing.
The government is looking at the economic forecasts of what
is likely to happen to the housing supply for people on the public social
housing waitlist and in the private rental market. I notice that we have the
Treasurer and the Minister for Housing here, so perhaps that question would be
best directed to them. We have been working very closely with the community
sector to make sure that those people around the state who are homeless or who
are at risk of becoming homeless are supported at this time. Work has been done
in regional areas with remote Aboriginal communities to make sure that people
are supported at this time during COVID, and those communities are still being
protected against too much traffic coming in and out of those communities at
this stage.
I can assure the Leader of the
Opposition and the house that we are very mindful of what will happen to
vulnerable people at the end of the moratorium. Given the challenges that we
have faced as a state government during COVID, we know that we are in the best
position out of any state in the country in terms of jobs, the movement of
people around the state and, in fact, protecting against the community
transmission of COVID.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, the minister gave a very good answer. Do not spoil it.
specific question that the Leader of the Opposition has asked me is about the
forecast for the number of homeless people after the moratorium we now
have on evictions. Actually, there is no specific forecast for homeless people.
We do not keep that data now and, as far as I know, nationally, there are no
datasets that project the number of homeless people. One of the reforms that we
have in place in Western Australia is to have better data collection on
homelessness in Western Australia. A lot of the data that we rely on now is
either census driven, which, of course, has
a lag to it, or is a result of homeless counts that local governments,
sometimes in cooperation, do in the metropolitan area or in regional
centres. One of the reforms that we have put in place in regard to the
homelessness strategy, which I think will stand us in good stead—I note
that the Leader of the Opposition's spokesperson on homelessness has
dismissed it and said it is a waste of time—is that we need to have
better data collection on homelessness in Western Australia, including tracking
those people who need our support. That is part of the work we are doing.
The government is looking at the economic forecasts of what
is likely to happen to the housing supply for people on the public social
housing waitlist and in the private rental market. I notice that we have the
Treasurer and the Minister for Housing here, so perhaps that question would be
best directed to them. We have been working very closely with the community
sector to make sure that those people around the state who are homeless or who
are at risk of becoming homeless are supported at this time. Work has been done
in regional areas with remote Aboriginal communities to make sure that people
are supported at this time during COVID, and those communities are still being
protected against too much traffic coming in and out of those communities at
this stage.
I can assure the Leader of the
Opposition and the house that we are very mindful of what will happen to
vulnerable people at the end of the moratorium. Given the challenges that we
have faced as a state government during COVID, we know that we are in the best
position out of any state in the country in terms of jobs, the movement of
people around the state and, in fact, protecting against the community
transmission of COVID.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, the minister gave a very good answer. Do not spoil it.
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