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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 179 asked in the Legislative Council on 27 May 2021 by Hon James Hayward

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

HOUSING — RENTAL ACCOMMODATION — PUBLIC RENTAL PROPERTIES

179. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Housing:

I refer to the end of the rental moratorium on 28 March.

(1) How many eviction notices from public housing have there been?

(2) Further to (1), how many people or families have been evicted into homelessness from public housing?

(3) Is the minister aware that a family with five children is one of 159 families in the Magistrates Court over the last two days facing tenancy hearings and evictions; and, how many homes has the government spot purchased in advance of the moratorium lifting?

(4) Is the minister aware the ''by name'' homelessness count for Perth, Fremantle and surrounds increased by 58 per cent since November 2020?

(5) Can the minister name any programs currently in place to directly increase the supply of affordable rental properties?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

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

(1)–(2) Since 28 March 2021, there have been zero evictions from public housing.

(3)–(4) Matters regarding the Magistrates Court and the project should be referred to the Attorney General and the Minister for Community Services respectively.

(5) The McGowan government is investing nearly $1 billion in social and affordable housing programs and homelessness support services programs, including the social housing economic recovery package and the housing and homelessness investment package. In partnership with the commonwealth government, the WA government is continuing to increase affordable rental supply through the national rental affordability scheme, which stimulates new privately owned construction to be delivered for affordable rental purposes. Under the scheme, owners receive incentives to rent their property to eligible low-to-moderate-income households for at least 20 per cent below market rate. Tax incentives from the commonwealth and financial incentives from the state are provided in arrears for 10 years. The McGowan government's $20 000 building bonus grant is playing a critical role in the significant increase in new home building approvals in WA, with over 24 000 applications received as at 20 May 2021. In the 12 months to March, there have been 23 100 new homes approved for construction, the largest growth on record. As new homes come online, supply side pressures will begin to ease with more properties in the rental market.