❓ Hon Derrick Tomlinson asks about a claim that 280 Aboriginal families in Midland are locked out of public housing. Hon Tom Stephens acknowledges a large housing problem for the Aboriginal community and commits to investigating the specific claim.
AnsweredQoN 50Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Is the minister aware of a claim made by Joanne Walsh from the Tenants Advice Service that in the Midland area of Perth about 280 Aboriginal families, with an average of three children, are permanently locked out of public housing? If the minister is aware of that claim, has its veracity been checked and can he advise how many Aboriginal families in the Midland area are permanently locked out of public housing? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I am not aware of the specific claim of the Tenants Advice Service in reference to the Midland area. I have attended a Nyoongah housing summit at which the person of whom the member has spoken described a very large housing problem facing the Aboriginal community. They are issues that are correctly described as being critical. The Ministry of Housing policy has a number of hurdles for applicants to have to jump before they go onto the waiting list for housing. If applicants have a substantial debt or damage bills that they are not tackling, they are locked out of the waiting list unless they commit to making a contribution based on their capacity to pay the debt that has previously been incurred. I appreciate the member’s genuine concern. I will ask the Ministry of Housing to look at the specifics and see what I can do to improve the circumstances to which the member has referred.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am not aware of the specific claim of the Tenants Advice Service in reference to the Midland area. I have attended a Nyoongah housing summit at which the person of whom the member has spoken described a very large housing problem facing the Aboriginal community. They are issues that are correctly described as being critical. The Ministry of Housing policy has a number of hurdles for applicants to have to jump before they go onto the waiting list for housing. If applicants have a substantial debt or damage bills that they are not tackling, they are locked out of the waiting list unless they commit to making a contribution based on their capacity to pay the debt that has previously been incurred. I appreciate the member’s genuine concern. I will ask the Ministry of Housing to look at the specifics and see what I can do to improve the circumstances to which the member has referred.
I am not aware of the specific claim of the Tenants Advice Service in reference to the Midland area. I have attended a Nyoongah housing summit at which the person of whom the member has spoken described a very large housing problem facing the Aboriginal community. They are issues that are correctly described as being critical. The Ministry of Housing policy has a number of hurdles for applicants to have to jump before they go onto the waiting list for housing. If applicants have a substantial debt or damage bills that they are not tackling, they are locked out of the waiting list unless they commit to making a contribution based on their capacity to pay the debt that has previously been incurred. I appreciate the member’s genuine concern. I will ask the Ministry of Housing to look at the specifics and see what I can do to improve the circumstances to which the member has referred.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am not aware of the specific claim of the Tenants Advice Service in reference to the Midland area. I have attended a Nyoongah housing summit at which the person of whom the member has spoken described a very large housing problem facing the Aboriginal community. They are issues that are correctly described as being critical. The Ministry of Housing policy has a number of hurdles for applicants to have to jump before they go onto the waiting list for housing. If applicants have a substantial debt or damage bills that they are not tackling, they are locked out of the waiting list unless they commit to making a contribution based on their capacity to pay the debt that has previously been incurred. I appreciate the member’s genuine concern. I will ask the Ministry of Housing to look at the specifics and see what I can do to improve the circumstances to which the member has referred.
I am not aware of the specific claim of the Tenants Advice Service in reference to the Midland area. I have attended a Nyoongah housing summit at which the person of whom the member has spoken described a very large housing problem facing the Aboriginal community. They are issues that are correctly described as being critical. The Ministry of Housing policy has a number of hurdles for applicants to have to jump before they go onto the waiting list for housing. If applicants have a substantial debt or damage bills that they are not tackling, they are locked out of the waiting list unless they commit to making a contribution based on their capacity to pay the debt that has previously been incurred. I appreciate the member’s genuine concern. I will ask the Ministry of Housing to look at the specifics and see what I can do to improve the circumstances to which the member has referred.
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.