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Shelter WA congratulates new Ministers for Housing and Commerce and reappointed Minister for Community Services and looks forward to addressing urgent housing need in their first 100 days.
Peak housing and homelessness body Shelter WA welcomed the appointment of John Carey as the new Minister for Housing.
John Carey MLA
Shelter WA CEO Michelle Mackenzie said: “Shelter WA congratulates Minister Carey on his appointment, and we look forward to working closely with him”.
“We look forward to working closely with him.”
“We know Minister Carey has been a passionate champion for homelessness during his time as the Member for Perth,” Ms Mackenzie said.
“Overwhelmingly housing affordability is a key issue in the community, and we look forward to working closely with the new Minister to implement solutions that are cost effective and can be delivered rapidly in partnership with the community sector at the scale we need.”
“Minister Carey’s experience as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Planning, along with his Ministerial appointment for Local Government also provides a much-needed dynamic to the mix.”
Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA
Shelter WA also congratulate new Minister for Commerce Amber-Jade Sanderson and look forward to working with her on tenancy reform and making the rental market fairer and more affordable.
Simone McGurk MLA
Shelter WA also welcomes Minister McGurk’s reappointment as the Minister for Community Services with responsibility for homelessness.
“Over her previous term Minister McGurk oversaw the development of a world class Homelessness Strategy and new investment into Housing First initiatives.
“A commitment to building on these initiatives and accelerating the pace and level of investment into social and affordable housing in partnership with the community sector will not only drive jobs and economic growth but ensure that everyone has a place to call home.”
The First 100 Days
Shelter WA has identified five key priority actions that we would like the Ministers to focus on in the first hundred days, in collaboration with our sector and industry:
“These five priorities are essential to tackling the housing crisis head on.”
- Urgently prepare for (and prevent) a new wave of homelessness when the moratorium on evictions and rent increases ends on March 28, by spot purchasing 2000 dwellings and ensuring funding is available to support renters stay in their homes.
- Urgently audit all government owned land and buildings currently owned, leased and identified for sale, to identify assets suitable for developing affordable rental and social housing.
- Commit funding to explore fast, innovative and affordable ways to deliver new affordable rentals and social housing including the use of modular homes on underutilised government land.
- Commit funding to explore the conversion of vacant commercial buildings into homes; and
- Set a timeline to reform the Residential Tenancies Act to provide certainty for WA renters.
“These five priorities are essential to tackling the housing crisis head on and build on the recommendations made over the election period by the Unlock Housing coalition of over thirty service providers,” Ms Mackenzie said.
During the election campaign the Government made very welcome commitments to:
- $39.3 million for an Aboriginal short-stay accommodation in Perth
- $6 million for on-the-ground homelessness initiatives tailored to local government area
- $3.65 million to fund and expand the Street Doctor Program
- A new 100-bed homelessness facility, and
- $60 million boost to help prevent family and domestic violence
We look forward to working with government and our sector to support the implementation of these commitments progress these initiatives.
Shelter WA commissioned polling during the election campaign that found 90% of voters support action on homelessness, social housing and affordable housing initiatives if they created new jobs, stimulated the WA economy, and improved the health and wellbeing of vulnerable West Australians.
Hon Peter Tinley AM MLA
“Shelter WA would like to thank outgoing Minister Peter Tinley AM for his work and engagement as Housing Minister.”
Key Facts:
- Over 9,000 people experience homelessness every day in WA
- Over 30,000 people (15,700 applicants) are on the wait list for social housing
- There is a shortfall of 39,200 social and 19,300 affordable homes across WA
Media Contact
Chantal Caruso | 0447 201 377 / (08) 9325 6660 | projects@shelterwa.org.au
You can view the full list of State Government Ministry Portfolios here.
The post New Ministry, welcome John Carey MLA as Minister for Housing appeared first on Shelter WA.
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