❓ The WA parliamentary Question on Notice by Mr Lachlan Hunter sought detailed information on vacant, uninhabitable, and demolition-scheduled Department of Communities housing stock in the Wheatbelt region, alongside public housing waitlist numbers. The answer provided some aggregate data but declined to provide specific property details, citing vandalism concerns, and stated that some requested data categories are not collected.
AnsweredQoN 2342Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Department of Communities housing stock located within the Wheatbelt region and I ask:(a) How many Department of Communities owned or managed homes are currently vacant within the Wheatbelt region;(b) Please provide a breakdown by local government area or shire;(c) For each vacant property, please advise:(i) the suburb/town;(ii) the number of bedrooms;(iii) the date the property became vacant;(iv) the current staus of the property; and(v) the reason the property remains vacant;(d) For each vacant Department of Communities property within the Wheatbelt, please advise:(i) whether the property is considered:(A) habitable;(B) undergoing maintenance or refurbishment;(C) uninhabitable; and(D) scheduled for demolition;(ii) the estimated timeframe for the property to return to service, where applicable;(e) How many Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt are currently classified as uninhabitable;(f) Please provide a breakdown of all uninhabitable Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt by Shire, including:(i) the town/location of each property;(ii) the reason the property has been deemed uninhabitable; and(iii) how long each property has been classified as uninhabitable;(g) How many Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt are currently awaiting demolition;(h) For each Department of Communities property in the Wheatbelt awaiting demolition, please provide:(i) the town/location of each property;(ii) the date it was deemed unsuitable for habitation;(iii) the date demolition was approved;(iv) the expected demolition date; and(v) whether replacement housing is planned on the site;(i) Of the currently vacant Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt, how many have been vacant for:(i) less than 3 months;(ii) between 3 and 6 months;(iii) between 6 and 12 months; and(iv) greater than 12 months; and(j) What is the current total number of applicants on the public housing waitlist within the Wheatbelt region, and how many are classified as priority applicants?
I refer to the Department of Communities housing stock located within the Wheatbelt region and I ask:
(a) How many Department of Communities owned or managed homes are currently vacant within the Wheatbelt region;
(b) Please provide a breakdown by local government area or shire;
(c) For each vacant property, please advise:
(i) the suburb/town;
(ii) the number of bedrooms;
(iii) the date the property became vacant;
(iv) the current staus of the property; and
(v) the reason the property remains vacant;
(d) For each vacant Department of Communities property within the Wheatbelt, please advise:
(i) whether the property is considered:
(A) habitable;
(B) undergoing maintenance or refurbishment;
(C) uninhabitable; and
(D) scheduled for demolition;
(ii) the estimated timeframe for the property to return to service, where applicable;
(e) How many Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt are currently classified as uninhabitable;
(f) Please provide a breakdown of all uninhabitable Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt by Shire, including:
(i) the town/location of each property;
(ii) the reason the property has been deemed uninhabitable; and
(iii) how long each property has been classified as uninhabitable;
(g) How many Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt are currently awaiting demolition;
(h) For each Department of Communities property in the Wheatbelt awaiting demolition, please provide:
(i) the town/location of each property;
(ii) the date it was deemed unsuitable for habitation;
(iii) the date demolition was approved;
(iv) the expected demolition date; and
(v) whether replacement housing is planned on the site;
(i) Of the currently vacant Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt, how many have been vacant for:
(i) less than 3 months;
(ii) between 3 and 6 months;
(iii) between 6 and 12 months; and
(iv) greater than 12 months; and
(j) What is the current total number of applicants on the public housing waitlist within the Wheatbelt region, and how many are classified as priority applicants?
I refer to the Department of Communities housing stock located within the Wheatbelt region and I ask:
(a) How many Department of Communities owned or managed homes are currently vacant within the Wheatbelt region;
(b) Please provide a breakdown by local government area or shire;
(c) For each vacant property, please advise:
(i) the suburb/town;
(ii) the number of bedrooms;
(iii) the date the property became vacant;
(iv) the current staus of the property; and
(v) the reason the property remains vacant;
(d) For each vacant Department of Communities property within the Wheatbelt, please advise:
(i) whether the property is considered:
(A) habitable;
(B) undergoing maintenance or refurbishment;
(C) uninhabitable; and
(D) scheduled for demolition;
(ii) the estimated timeframe for the property to return to service, where applicable;
(e) How many Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt are currently classified as uninhabitable;
(f) Please provide a breakdown of all uninhabitable Department of Communities homes in the Wheatbelt by Shire, including:
(i) the town/location of each property;
(ii) the reason the property has been deemed uninhabitable; and
(iii) how long each property has been classified as uninhabitable;
(g) How many Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt are currently awaiting demolition;
(h) For each Department of Communities property in the Wheatbelt awaiting demolition, please provide:
(i) the town/location of each property;
(ii) the date it was deemed unsuitable for habitation;
(iii) the date demolition was approved;
(iv) the expected demolition date; and
(v) whether replacement housing is planned on the site;
(i) Of the currently vacant Department of Communities properties in the Wheatbelt, how many have been vacant for:
(i) less than 3 months;
(ii) between 3 and 6 months;
(iii) between 6 and 12 months; and
(iv) greater than 12 months; and
(j) What is the current total number of applicants on the public housing waitlist within the Wheatbelt region, and how many are classified as priority applicants?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 June 2026
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works
Response time
7 days
a) As at 30 April 2026, 91 properties are currently vacant across the Wheatbelt region, of which 54 are returning to service and are undergoing maintenance works, refurbishment, or are in the process of being relet.
b) – c) The Department does not individually identify homes that are vacant and awaiting refurbishment for obvious reasons, including to protect the home against being vandalised.
d) – f) The Department does not collect data in the categories outlined by the Member.
g) As at 30 April 2026 in the Wheatbelt region there are 4 properties that have received approval for demolition, with a further 33 marked for future disposal. All sites will be retained for future housing development.
h) The Department does not individually identify homes that are vacant and awaiting refurbishment for obvious reasons, including to protect the home against being vandalised.
i) Vacant returning properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from new tenants, awaiting further assessment, undergoing repairs or refurbishment.
The time to refurbish and relet a property depends on the scope of works required, which may be significant. This can include contamination remediation, major damage repairs, and complex engineering and infrastructure works.
Refurbishment is critical to extend the life of the state’s ageing public housing stock and ensure housing remains available to the most vulnerable members of our community.
(i) 20
(ii) 16
(iii) 9
(iv) 46
j) As at 30 April 2026, there were 415 applications in the Wheatbelt Preference region on the public housing wait list. This includes 145 priority applications.
b) – c) The Department does not individually identify homes that are vacant and awaiting refurbishment for obvious reasons, including to protect the home against being vandalised.
d) – f) The Department does not collect data in the categories outlined by the Member.
g) As at 30 April 2026 in the Wheatbelt region there are 4 properties that have received approval for demolition, with a further 33 marked for future disposal. All sites will be retained for future housing development.
h) The Department does not individually identify homes that are vacant and awaiting refurbishment for obvious reasons, including to protect the home against being vandalised.
i) Vacant returning properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from new tenants, awaiting further assessment, undergoing repairs or refurbishment.
The time to refurbish and relet a property depends on the scope of works required, which may be significant. This can include contamination remediation, major damage repairs, and complex engineering and infrastructure works.
Refurbishment is critical to extend the life of the state’s ageing public housing stock and ensure housing remains available to the most vulnerable members of our community.
(i) 20
(ii) 16
(iii) 9
(iv) 46
j) As at 30 April 2026, there were 415 applications in the Wheatbelt Preference region on the public housing wait list. This includes 145 priority applications.
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