❓ Mrs. O'Malley asks about the effectiveness of the government's homelessness reform package. The Minister details investments in social housing, specific programs for rough sleepers, and collaborations with organizations like Housing Choices and St Bart's.
AnsweredQoN 773Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOMELESSNESS REFORM PACKAGE
773. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Homelessness:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to reducing homelessness in Western Australia.
Can the minister update the house on how this government's homelessness
reform package will help rough sleepers into more secure housing and ensure
that they have the wraparound services they need?
773. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Homelessness:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to reducing homelessness in Western Australia.
Can the minister update the house on how this government's homelessness
reform package will help rough sleepers into more secure housing and ensure
that they have the wraparound services they need?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question.
We understand this simple truth:
providing a roof over somebody's head is a critical way of transforming
their life. It not only provides a sense of
belonging and security, but also enables someone to actually reset their life
and take a journey. That is why, as a government, we are investing $2.4 billion
over the next four years in social housing and homelessness. That is why we are
spending $225 million this year on homelessness programs.
But I know we can always do better,
and we always look for opportunities for reforming and leveraging from that
investment. Therefore, I was very pleased this morning to announce a package of
$24.2 million so that we can leverage the best we can and, in particular, in
alignment with the 10-year homelessness strategy, focus on rough sleepers.
Today, we announced a new program of 100 social homes that will be specifically
allocated for rough sleepers, with a supported landlord model. The landlord
will be Housing Choices—it will provide that supported landlord model—and the tenants will have
access to the Housing First support services. We will spot purchase 50 homes
and Housing Choices will provide 50 homes.
Given the heated construction
market, we know that this is the fastest way that we can enable rough sleepers
to transition to social housing. This is innovation. It is a bold step. It is a
jump from a pilot program of eight homes in Bunbury to 100 homes. But I am very
confident that Housing Choices will be able to deliver this initiative.
We have also announced other reforms
and other parts of the package. That includes boosting transitional accommodation right now at St Bart's with
18 beds. We have also provided funding to boost data collection through the by-name list and transfer that to the Western Australian Alliance to End
Homelessness. We are reforming the way we do assessments of rough sleepers. We
have a lot of people working in this space. Each of the major centres of
Albany, Geraldton, Bunbury, Mandurah and Perth will have one rough sleeper
group that will provide a referral service. We are integrating outreach
services to create one outreach service program in the city.
We are also boosting and extending
the highly successful Homeless Engagement Assessment Response Team homelessness
outreach program in the CBD.
It
is really pleasing to see that the sector has embraced these reforms. I note
that Deb Zanella from Ruah Community Services, a highly credible leader
in the homelessness field, said today, and I paraphrase, that this government
has been at the forefront in investing in an approach that has been proven in
other jurisdictions around the world. I also note the editorial in today's The West Australian , which states in part —
It is heartening see real concrete
solutions to a problem which has flummoxed policy-makers for decades.
This is bold. It is an innovative
reform. But I have a strong belief in our homelessness sector, in Housing
Choices and in St Bart's that together we can make a real difference to
transform the lives of some of our most vulnerable Western Australians.
We understand this simple truth:
providing a roof over somebody's head is a critical way of transforming
their life. It not only provides a sense of
belonging and security, but also enables someone to actually reset their life
and take a journey. That is why, as a government, we are investing $2.4 billion
over the next four years in social housing and homelessness. That is why we are
spending $225 million this year on homelessness programs.
But I know we can always do better,
and we always look for opportunities for reforming and leveraging from that
investment. Therefore, I was very pleased this morning to announce a package of
$24.2 million so that we can leverage the best we can and, in particular, in
alignment with the 10-year homelessness strategy, focus on rough sleepers.
Today, we announced a new program of 100 social homes that will be specifically
allocated for rough sleepers, with a supported landlord model. The landlord
will be Housing Choices—it will provide that supported landlord model—and the tenants will have
access to the Housing First support services. We will spot purchase 50 homes
and Housing Choices will provide 50 homes.
Given the heated construction
market, we know that this is the fastest way that we can enable rough sleepers
to transition to social housing. This is innovation. It is a bold step. It is a
jump from a pilot program of eight homes in Bunbury to 100 homes. But I am very
confident that Housing Choices will be able to deliver this initiative.
We have also announced other reforms
and other parts of the package. That includes boosting transitional accommodation right now at St Bart's with
18 beds. We have also provided funding to boost data collection through the by-name list and transfer that to the Western Australian Alliance to End
Homelessness. We are reforming the way we do assessments of rough sleepers. We
have a lot of people working in this space. Each of the major centres of
Albany, Geraldton, Bunbury, Mandurah and Perth will have one rough sleeper
group that will provide a referral service. We are integrating outreach
services to create one outreach service program in the city.
We are also boosting and extending
the highly successful Homeless Engagement Assessment Response Team homelessness
outreach program in the CBD.
It
is really pleasing to see that the sector has embraced these reforms. I note
that Deb Zanella from Ruah Community Services, a highly credible leader
in the homelessness field, said today, and I paraphrase, that this government
has been at the forefront in investing in an approach that has been proven in
other jurisdictions around the world. I also note the editorial in today's The West Australian , which states in part —
It is heartening see real concrete
solutions to a problem which has flummoxed policy-makers for decades.
This is bold. It is an innovative
reform. But I have a strong belief in our homelessness sector, in Housing
Choices and in St Bart's that together we can make a real difference to
transform the lives of some of our most vulnerable Western Australians.
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