❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about the number of social housing tenants exceeding eligibility limits and consequences faced. The Minister's response avoids providing specific figures, citing data collection limitations and highlighting government policy changes.
AnsweredQoN 1707Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the increase to social housing eligibility limits, and I ask: (a) how many persons in social housing in Western Australia exceeded the income or asset limits for eligibility in the calendar years 2023 (to date), 2022, and 2021; and (b) how many persons listed in (a), faced a consequence as a result of exceeding the limits, and what was it?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 November 2023
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
7 days
(a) – (b)
Under the entire term of the former Liberal-National Government, there were no increases to social housing income eligibility limits.
The Cook Labor Government has increased social housing income eligibility limits four times since coming into government, ensuring that people receiving Commonwealth payments such as the aged or disability pensions remain eligible.
The Department of Communities (Communities) conducts ongoing monitoring of eligibility criteria to ensure public housing tenants continue to meet the eligibility limits for both income and assets.
Where tenants have had a change in circumstances and are earning over the income limits, such as through inheritance, marriage, or employment, Communities will work with the tenant to transition out of public housing, along the housing continuum, including consideration of the sale of the property to the tenant.
Data on income and asset eligibility assessments is not currently collated for reporting purposes and therefore cannot be provided.
Under the entire term of the former Liberal-National Government, there were no increases to social housing income eligibility limits.
The Cook Labor Government has increased social housing income eligibility limits four times since coming into government, ensuring that people receiving Commonwealth payments such as the aged or disability pensions remain eligible.
The Department of Communities (Communities) conducts ongoing monitoring of eligibility criteria to ensure public housing tenants continue to meet the eligibility limits for both income and assets.
Where tenants have had a change in circumstances and are earning over the income limits, such as through inheritance, marriage, or employment, Communities will work with the tenant to transition out of public housing, along the housing continuum, including consideration of the sale of the property to the tenant.
Data on income and asset eligibility assessments is not currently collated for reporting purposes and therefore cannot be provided.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.