Labor government to overhaul outdated system to better support those with urgent needs

Western Australia’s public housing waitlist will be overhauled as Labor admits the current system is “outdated” and hasn’t kept pace with the rest of the nation when it comes to housing those with the greatest need.

Housing and Works Minister John Carey said the current system, introduced in the 1950s, could not keep up with “a growing complexity in demand, particularly … demand from women – those who are escaping domestic violence with other needs”.

“It’s for this reason that the current system really doesn’t work. It’s just a two-tier system of the general waiting list and a priority list,” Carey said.

“Under the new system, and it is complex, there will be a priority housing needs matrix that will consider people’s needs under five themes.”

Those themes are safety, housing circumstances, medical conditions, accessibility needs, and cultural considerations.

“There will also then be a broader register of interest list. This will be people who are housed, have a preference for social housing, but do not have the greatest need,” Carey said.

“This is really trying again to identify this growing cohort with more urgent and complex needs, and ensuring that we house them first.

“Other states already do this, other states are housing more than 80 per cent of those with the greatest need into social housing.

“This idea that everyone on the list is of urgent need is not the case.”

Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Jessica Stojkovski said fleeing family and domestic violence situations was the most dangerous time for women and children.

“The sector has told us that some of the reasons that women don’t leave, and that they stay in those dangerous situations, is access to housing,” she said.

The government’s announcement was backed in by Shelter WA chair Michael Chester, WA Council of Social Service chief executive Louise Toledo and Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing chief executive Alison Evans.

“There’s been a need for a very long time to prioritise the wait list,” Toledo said.

“We know this is not the solution for the housing shortage that West Australia currently faces, but it’s a really good start.”

However, Carey was questioned on whether there was enough social housing to get the waitlist numbers down, regardless of the structure.

Figures released in parliament show there were 23,395 applications on the public housing waitlist at the end of March, and 8114 applications on the priority waitlist.

Carey said he had been “aggressive” in the delivery of social housing.

“By 2028, around a third of completions will be social affordable projects,” he said.

“That’s despite the fact, and this is the truth, that even in my electorate, wherever I am now seeking to build social and affordable build-to-rent projects, people are opposing them for a range of different reasons.

“So, on one hand, you’re criticised for not enough social housing. When I try and do it, I have community campaigns against it.”

Carey said the waitlist reform would take time and “significant consultation” with the sector, with an intended implementation date of early 2028.

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