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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1056 asked in the Legislative Council on 1 December 2021 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

PUBLIC HOUSING — SALE AND DECOMMISSIONING

1056. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Housing:

(1) How many public housing homes were sold or decommissioned in 2020–21?

(2) How many public homes does the government intend to sell or decommission in 2021–22?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) Upon coming to government, the public housing portfolio consisted of a significant number of dilapidated buildings that were unsafe, expensive to maintain and not fit for purpose. The Department of Communities sold 140 dwellings and demolished 219 in 2020–21. Public housing may be sold or demolished for a number of reasons, including sales to tenants, urban and regional renewal to help revitalise communities or due to natural or man-made—that is not a term I would use—hazards such as fire.

(2) The McGowan government is investing $2.1 billion into social housing over the next four years, which includes the record investment of $875 million as part of the 2021–22 state budget, the single largest investment into social housing in the history of the state. As part of the record investment into social housing, $12.8 million has been allocated to carry out building assessments on public housing and Government Regional Officers' Housing assets, which will inform future maintenance, refurbishments and disposal decisions. This, along with maintenance funding under the social housing economic recovery package and business-as-usual funding, will assist to keep properties stay in the system longer. The Minister for Housing continues to investigate all options to accelerate and fast track social housing delivery, including the use of modular and timber construction methods. As of 31 October 2021, over 650 social housing properties are under construction.