Question On Notice No. 2161 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 May 2019 by Hon Jacqui Boydell
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth; Asian Engagement
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the Pilbara towns of Newman, Port Hedland, Karratha, Roebourne, Tom Price and Wickham, and I ask:
(a) will the Minister provide the number of houses in each town owned and/or leased by the Department of Housing annually for each of the past 5 years;
(b) on how many occasions in the last five years have each of the houses in (a) had noise complaints/disorderly conduct and/or damage complaints lodged against them.; and
(c) will the Minister outline what, if any, response was provided by the Department of Housing on each of the occasions in (b)?
Answered on 27 June 2019
(a) Number of houses in each town:
|
Year
|
Type
|
Newman
|
Hedland*
|
Karratha**
|
Roebourne
|
Tom Price
|
Wickham***
|
|
2015
|
Public Housing
|
78
|
607
|
493
|
101
|
20
|
74
|
|
GROH
|
152
|
436
|
674
|
40
|
81
|
47
|
|
Community Housing
|
1
|
54
|
16
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
231
|
1,097
|
1,183
|
147
|
101
|
123
|
|
2016
|
Public Housing
|
78
|
603
|
491
|
99
|
20
|
74
|
|
GROH
|
160
|
431
|
642
|
39
|
80
|
54
|
|
Community Housing
|
1
|
54
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
239
|
1,088
|
1,138
|
144
|
100
|
130
|
|
2017
|
Public Housing
|
73
|
605
|
497
|
99
|
20
|
74
|
|
GROH
|
152
|
444
|
580
|
39
|
80
|
51
|
|
Community Housing
|
1
|
54
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
226
|
1,103
|
1,082
|
144
|
100
|
127
|
|
2018
|
Public Housing
|
73
|
598
|
494
|
102
|
19
|
74
|
|
GROH
|
145
|
354
|
530
|
39
|
78
|
46
|
|
Community Housing
|
1
|
52
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
219
|
1,004
|
1,029
|
147
|
97
|
122
|
|
2019 YTD
|
Public Housing
|
69
|
589
|
482
|
104
|
19
|
74
|
|
GROH
|
141
|
422
|
524
|
33
|
78
|
45
|
|
Community Housing
|
1
|
37
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
211
|
1,048
|
1,011
|
143
|
97
|
121
|
Please note:
- 2018-19 year to date figures as at 30 April for 2019.
- includes leased properties for use as Government Regional Officer’s Housing (GROH).
*Hedland includes the suburbs of Port Hedland, Spinifex Hill, Cooke Point, Pretty Pool, South Hedland, Walnut Grove, Shellborough, Lawson, Koombana, Cassia and Boodarie.
**Karratha includes the suburbs of Karratha, Nickol, Nickol West, Tambrey, Millars Well, Bulgarra, Baynton, Baynton West and Pegs Creek.
***Wickham includes the suburbs of Wickham and Point Samson.
(b) The Department of Communities (Communities) reports on disruptive behaviour by financial year by region. Complaints are not broken down by category as complaints may encompass multiple incident types including, but not limited to: excessive noise, abusive language, physical violence, trespass and property damage.
Complaints received in the Pilbara region:
|
Disruptive Behaviour Complaints Received - Public Housing Tenancies in the Pilbara Region
|
|
Financial Year
|
No. of Complaints
|
|
2014-15
|
515
|
|
2015-16
|
537
|
|
2016-17
|
515
|
|
2017-18
|
618
|
|
2018-19 YTD
|
458
|
Please note:
- 2018-19 year to date figures as at 30 April 2019.
- Complaints Received includes multiple complaints for the one incident and complaints not verified.
- Complaints Received from the 2016-17 financial year onwards, include disruptive behaviour and illegal use of premises. Prior years include disruptive behaviour only.
- Data source from Habitat (Tenancy Management System).
(c) When disruptive behaviour complaints are received, Communities investigates in accordance with its obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and its Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy.
As a landlord, Communities must prove an incident has occurred as reported before taking action against a tenant. As part of its investigation, Communities will seek to corroborate complaints with independent witnesses and the WA Police where appropriate. It will also make all efforts to discuss complaints with the tenant and provide them with an opportunity to respond via natural justice.
Should complaints be corroborated, Communities will issue a formal strike against the tenancy, which remains active for a 12-month period. Tenants who receive strikes are linked with supports to assist them in sustaining their tenancy, such as the Support and Tenant Education Program and, where appropriate, Aboriginal Customer Services Officers. Where children are involved, the tenancy will also be referred to Child Protection and Family Support officers.
The Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy is working to curb disruptive behaviour and sustain tenancies. Once a first strike is issued, there is a significant reduction in tenancies receiving further strikes. This is represented in the data below.
|
Public Housing Disruptive Behaviour Strikes – Pilbara Region
|
|
Strikes
|
2014-15
|
2015-16
|
2016-17
|
2017-18
|
2018-19 YTD
|
|
|
First Strikes
|
60
|
79
|
62
|
67
|
76
|
|
|
Second Strikes
|
30
|
25
|
12
|
13
|
33
|
|
|
Final Strikes
|
4
|
8
|
6
|
0
|
1
|
|
Please Note:
- 2018-19 year to date figures as at 30 April 2019.
- Data is subject to revision – Backdating may occur as a result of report capture and timing delays.
- Data source from Habitat (Tenancy Management System) from September 2016 onwards.