PILBARA MP DEFENDS STATE GOVERNMENT ON HOUSING

BY CONRAD MACLEAN AND GERARD MAZZA

Department of Communities office in South Hedland. Credit: Gerard Mazza

As tens of thousands of people wait for public housing in WA, Member for Pilbara Kevin Michel has defended the state government’s record on housing. 

In WA, over 34,000 people were waiting for public housing as of March 31, according to the Department of Communities. 

1,299 of those people were in the Pilbara. 

Mr Michel said the housing crisis was aggravated by the pandemic. 

“Covid-19 has impacted so much in terms of getting tradesmen and builders.

It’s a bit of a challenge that we are facing, but the Minister for Housing John Carey has done an amazing job investing in a lot of housing and finding a lot of innovative methods to bring housing on as quickly as he can.”

Department of Communities figures show the total number of public houses in WA has declined since the McGowan government took office.

As part of the recent state budget, the government promised $511 million in new social housing and homelessness investment for initiatives across Western Australia.

It also allocated an additional $450 million investment in the existing Social Housing Investment Fund.

Earlier this month, Shadow Housing Minister Steve Martin said the Premier and Housing Minister had “promised but failed to deliver on housing.”

“People are stuck on the waitlist for years, waiting for this government to deliver new homes and repair existing stock,” he said.

Listen to Kevin Michel discuss housing and other issues facing his constituents in the Pilbara: