Homelessness Appointees – Shelter WA

Kath Snell, Chief Executive Officer, Shelter WA; and David Pearson, Executive Officer, WA Alliance to End Homelessness; have been appointed, amongst other sector representatives, to the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group to guide and support implementation of All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 (Strategy).

The Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group will support and guide implementation of the Strategy and provide advice to the Minister for Homelessness, Hon. John Carey MLA about reforms towards a Housing First and No Wrong Door approach across the homelessness sector, including addressing barriers in the system.

Shelter WA, the peak body in Western Australia for the community housing and homelessness sectors is proud to have been appointed to the Advisory Group.

Advisory Group

“The Advisory Group includes members with expertise over a range of areas including tenancy law, front line support services, local government and Community Housing Organisations,” Shelter WA CEO Kath Snell said.

“Shelter WA is thrilled to be appointed to the Group and acknowledge our appointment was in recognition of the expertise at Shelter WA, and our ability to provide evidence based, frank and solutions-based advice to government.

“Thrilled to be appointed.”

“We also take this opportunity to clarify that members of the advisory group were selected via an independent process within the Department of Communities and congratulate the Department for moving this process forward.

Lived Experience

“Meaningful Lived Experience engagement is an area Shelter WA is focused and committed to. We look forward to conversations with Department of Communities, where there this topic is given the attention, it deserves and requires to be brought to life.

“An area Shelter WA is focused and committed to.”

“We also look forward to working with the diverse members of the committee, and see this as an opportunity to share opinion, information and research on the current homelessness drivers and influences this state is experiencing,” Ms Snell concluded.

Homelessness Support

The WA Alliance to End Homelessness (WAAEH) is also represented on the Advisory Group.

“Ending homelessness is possible and I feel very privileged to have been asked to join the new Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group to help drive the focus on seeking to end homelessness, not just manage its consequences,” WAAEH Executive Officer David Pearson said.

“I am looking forward to working with the impressive range of people and organisations who have also been tasked with helping to implement WA’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness – which has seen nation-leading investments in efforts to end homelessness and a strong focus on Housing First.

“It is a solvable problem.”

“Homelessness is a complex problem, that in most places is getting worse, not better, but it is a solvable problem. To do so, it takes many things including a strategy that actually seeks to solve the problem and is supported by a dedicated group of people working towards that goal. Great to see these two things being put in place.

“There is so much more that can and needs to be done, looking forward to the challenge,” Mr Pearson concluded.

Appointees

The Group, which will meet quarterly, will be chaired by Mr Mike Rowe, Director General of Communities.

The 16 other members are:

• Mr Andrew Brien, Chief Executive Officer, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder;
• Ms Bettina (Tina) Ugle, Managing Director, Noongar Mia Mia;
• Ms Cath Hart, Chief Executive Officer, Real Estate Institute of Western Australia;
• Ms Corina Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Family Legal Service, Southern Aboriginal Corporation;
• Mr Daniel Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation;
• Mr David Pearson, Executive Officer, WA Alliance to End Homelessness and Chief Executive Officer, Australian Alliance to End Homelessness;
• Ms Debra Zanella, Chief Executive Officer, Ruah Community Services;
• Mr Jonathon Lake, Design Leader, Gresley Abas Architects;
• Ms Jude Thomas, Director Place and Community, City of Mandurah;
• Ms Kath Snell, Chief Executive Officer, Shelter WA;
• Ms Kim Robinson, Program Support Officer Social Policy, WACOSS;
• Ms Louise Olney, Director Building Communities, Minderoo Foundation;
• Mr Michael Chester, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Uniting WA;
• Ms Natalie Sangalli, General Manager, Housing Choices Western Australia Ltd;
• Ms Samantha Drury, Chief Executive Officer St Bartholomew’s House (St Bart’s); and
• Ms Sharon Gough, Chief Executive Officer, Indigo Junction.

About Us

Shelter WA is the independent peak body in Western Australia for the community housing and homelessness sectors. With 140 members, our strength is providing evidence-based policy, advice, engagement, representation and strong advocacy for an effective housing system.

The WA Alliance To End Homelessness is a group of individuals and organisations that have come together to end homelessness in Western Australia. Since the publication of the WA Alliance’s Ten-Year Strategy to End Homelessness in 2018, the WA Alliance has been working to implement the Strategy, acting to support people and communities who share the common vision of ending homelessness.

Media Enquiries

Chantal Caruso, Shelter WA | E: chantal@shelterwa.org.au | M: 0447 201 377.