Doorstop interview - The Beacon, Salvation Army Housing
TRISH COOK MP, MEMBER FOR BULLWINKEL: Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming. I am very pleased to be here at Salvation Army with Warren and Kate, and with my colleague Patrick Gorman.
As you know, as federal member for Bullwinkel, I am a nurse that has been aware of the family violence, and the scourge on our community that the family violence can cause. And I have seen what happens to people's health when they are stuck between a crisis and living a normal life in community. I am particularly glad that the Albanese Labor Government is recognising this as we have and funding towards it.
I am particularly thrilled that some of that funding is going to go to the northeast of Perth, where it is needed, especially for women and children escaping domestic violence, or for people in crisis. It is an important topic. It is important that we have the whole of community working on this, because - when people are at their most vulnerable - that is the sign of a great community.
I would like to introduce Patrick to say some more details from us. PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Thank you so much, Trish, and if I can also thank Warren and Kate for having us here at The Beacon run by the Salvation Army. The story of The Beacon is a story of government having greater ambition.
During the Global Financial Crisis, the Commonwealth Government invested, along with the Salvation Army and others, to build this site that now provides secure accommodation for 109 people. It has made a real difference here in the Perth electorate, but we also know that we can go so much further. The Albanese Government has lifted our ambition when it comes to investing in crisis and transitional accommodation for women and families experiencing and escaping from domestic violence.
Where sometimes the biggest challenge is being able to find somewhere secure to go, and also for young people who rightly have a right to have a roof over their head. We know the data tells us here in Western Australia, some 830 young people every night are relying on some form of accommodation assistance or services or homelessness services, and we want to do so much more.
And that is why the crisis and transitional housing that we are announcing today will make such a difference, not just in the Perth metropolitan area, but around Western Australia. I am really pleased to announce that the Albanese Government will invest $49 million in an additional 54 dwellings of crisis and transitional accommodation for women escaping domestic violence, for families escaping family violence, and for young people who otherwise would be sleeping on the streets.
This is the sort of work that we have been able to do because of our careful budget management, but also because of our absolute commitment that every Australian should have a place to call home. And I think it is important to note that because of the nature of this housing - this is transitional housing - and so it has a huge multiplier effect in terms of the number of women and young people that it helps every single year.
Sometimes it might just be a week or two that people use that dwelling, and then it helps them into other parts of the services that are provided by fantastic partners like the Salvation Army. And one of the ones I am really proud of is that of this package, the biggest youth housing part of this package will not be here in the CBD. It will be in Kalgoorlie.
And that means that we are really investing in our regions, making sure that we can help young people who, for too long, have not had a service where they can go and knock on the door. And I just know that once we get this built, that when young people in Kalgoorlie find themselves homeless, they will have somewhere to go. And they will have someone.
Someone like Warren who will open the door, help them out, and give them the support that they need. And it is just one of the many ways that we are really pleased to be investing in the communities of Western Australia. I will hand over to Warren just to say a little bit more about the work that Salvos do, and then happy to take your questions.
WARREN PALMER, SALVATION ARMY STATE EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Thank you, Patrick. Thank you, and welcome everyone to The Beacon here this morning. I'm Warren Palmer, State External Communications Manager for the Salvation Army, and here with Kate Greenway, who's our State Manager of Homelessness Services.
Right now in Western Australia, we have a significant issue, which is housing insecurity, and it is one of the biggest issues of our time. Whether it is a family struggling just to pay their rent and sitting on the precipice of becoming homeless, struggling with the yearly increases to the rents, which become unsustainable. Whether it's a young mother and a child who's facing the decision of whether to leave an unhealthy relationship or not, based on the fact of if they can find somewhere to go to or not, and that's the decision maker effectively for them as to whether they leave a relationship.
That shouldn't be the case. So, for that reason, we're really pleased and we welcome these additional funds that will become available through the national housing infrastructure fund, and we are really looking forward to seeing projects come online over the next 12 to 18 months. Patrick has just mentioned about Kalgoorlie, and we are excited about that as that starts to form and come to fruition.
So we have got lots of projects we're working on as the Salvation Army as well, in terms of other other projects as well. So there is a lot happening in this sphere - and there needs to be - because of the issue of housing insecurity at the moment. So we are looking forward to seeing those projects come on board and hopefully provide some sense of stability, security, and a better sense of life for people.
They have something to hope for into the future, not having to worry and stress about the roof over their head. Thank you. Thanks heaps Warren, and if we could also just pass on our thanks to all of the residents here for welcoming us into their home.
It is very kind of them. Happy to take your questions. JOURNALIST: Fifty-four dwellings - will they be all in WA?
This is the WA package; $49 million, 54 dwellings across WA. You will understand that some of the locations we can't disclose, because of the nature of the importance of people feeling truly safe if they're in accommodation where they've escaped from family and domestic violence. But this is the Western Australian package. t Western Australia is getting a really significant investment as a result of this, and also with really trusted partners like Salvation Army, UnitingCare WA, people who we know can deliver quickly, and then provide the wraparound services to make these a real success.
JOURNALIST: Are they a facility like this? Smaller than facilities like this, but we are talking of facilities sort of between about 10 and 20 units of accommodation at a time, which allows you to have some of those intense wraparound services. And again, this is a residential facility, something that again we have got some really good services like this.
Some of you would have visited the Common Ground, it's a similar model, just down the road. But these are crisis and transitional places. That is, when people make that decision, that incredibly brave decision to leave a violent situation.
Or, where young people do as well. They leave violence on their own, leaving their own home. This is about having that first port of call for them, so that they can have somewhere that can help them find longer-term secure accommodation.
When it comes to young people, that might be they initially come to a service like the ones we're funding today. And I will give a big shout out to Matt Keogh, the member for Burt, who has been championing a project in Piara Waters that we'll also fund as a result of this for young people They might go there for a week or two as they sort out what is going to be the best plan for them, and then go on to somewhere like Foyer in Leederville, which has more permanent, long-term accommodation.
JOURNALIST: Other issues? This is from Canberra - the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council is forecasting the government won't reach its $1.2 million new homes target until the end of 2030. Has the government bitten off more than it can chew?
Oh, we have always been ambitious when it comes to housing, and what we have done is, in every single budget - and we have delivered five budgets now - we ave increased our investment in housing. Obviously, today I've got a lot of numbers in my head about crisis and transitional housing. We have had a some twentyfold increase compared to the last government in terms of the amount of investment that we're making in the sorts of projects that we're talking about today.
We have also got a huge number of projects when it comes to the actual builds that we're investing in, and you saw just in the lead-up to the budget, the partnership we announced with the state government for building new homes for first home buyers. As we have seen on a range of different fronts, we have never limited our ambition. And that ambition of building 1,200,000 good quality homes in good locations across Australia remains.
And one thing I know is Clare O'Neil is one determined minister, and I share her determination to get it done. JOURNALIST: Another one from Canberra: the construction industry says recent budget tax changes will deter investment in housing even further, on top of other pressures like soaring building costs and work shortages, does it concern the government that the industry itself finds it too difficult to build the homes we need?
Well, I have actually just had a coffee around the corner at Cutting Board, just opposite the Pier Street development that we are investing in. And that is popping out of the ground well ahead of schedule. I know that the building and construction industry in Australia can do incredible things, and while of course we have challenges when it comes to global conflict and the pressures that is putting on, both in terms of fuel costs and supply chains, what we have seen is industry time and time again step up to that challenge and find smart ways through, and we will continue to be a constructive partner on that.
And I also want to give a huge shout out to our Free TAFE program, making sure that that very industry has the skills that were not coming through the pipeline when we came to office. We will continue to work. I have got good respect for Denita Wawn and those who work for the Master Builders Association and others.
We will continue to listen, but it all comes from a point of being determined to meet and raise our ambitions rather than just give up. We have seen governments in the past that just give up. That's not my style.
JOURNALIST: What's your reaction to Matt Canavan's claim that safeguard mechanisms will act as a tax on WA potentially a GST clawback? Yeah. What was your what do you think of that?
Oh, look, let's throw a few facts on the table. Fact one: Matt Canavan is a climate sceptic. Fact two: Matt Canavan is a former director of the Productivity Commission.
Fact three: It took Matt Canavan an entire week to come out and say that he supports WA getting a fair share of the GST. If I could just be a little bit sceptical about a former director of the Productivity Commission having a view about the GST for WA. And when it comes to the safeguard mechanism, of course, Matt Canavan was a member of the government, the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government that created the safeguard mechanism.
We amended the safeguard mechanism, so it did what it was always supposed to do. That is, to bring emissions down, to help Australia meet our goal of having less emissions and a more sustainable climate. We will continue to do that work.
And I mean, when it comes to Matt Canavan, we have seen him be a fake builder. We have seen him be a fake coal miner. And now I think he's a fake friend of Western Australia.
JOURNALIST: But what about the GST element of it? Is it a way for the Labor government to get that GST back that it's not getting from WA? No.
Clearly, former Productivity Commission Director Matt Canavan misunderstands how the safeguard mechanism works. It requires businesses to lower their emissions, often in line with their own commitments. Let's take Chevron, the largest emitter in Western Australia.
Their own policy is to reduce their emissions to net zero by 2050. That is not a Commonwealth government policy. That is Chevron's own policy.
And so you know they're already having to do that work by their own choice. We have put in place, for those largest emitters in Australia, a requirement that they all do their part. Because it's important that we do take action to protect our environment and to protect our climate.
Immediately after this, I am going out to Bayswater Urban Forest, where I'll be with the students of Bayswater Primary School, planting trees to regenerate what has been a disused tip site for a long period of time, back into an urban forest. We need to get our tree canopy up and invest in our environment. But when it comes to the GST, WA is going to get a fair share.
We have said that from day one, from when we were elected. I have campaigned on it at four elections. WA's share of the GST is locked in, rock solid.
But also, it is not the limit of our ambition. You know, look at what we're announcing here today: $49 million for the most vulnerable in Western Australia, so we recognise that we can lock in Western Australia's fair share of the GST and do more for WA. Whether it is on crisis and transitional housing.
Whether it is on the massive hospital investment that we agreed earlier this year. Whether it is on the work that we are doing to invest more in our schools, or indeed the work that we are doing to widen the Kwinana Freeway in partnership with the Cook Government. JOURNALIST: So, the 75 cents is locked in?
It is legislated. It is locked in. I didn't see anyone in Parliament - I have just come back from Parliament with Trish - I did not see anyone in the federal parliament advocating to change that legislation.
It is locked in. Trish might want to say a bit more about the GST. Oh, absolutely.
You know, I went to the election as well to fight for WA's and retain WA's fair share of the GST, and I'll continue to do that. And I know from being with my colleagues in federal parliament - we are rock solid on that. And I know that the state government are also very rock solid on that, of course.
JOURNALIST: Does the prime minister need to guarantee there'll be no change to WA's GST share rather than just 'a fair share'? Oh, the prime minister's given the strongest commitments that you've seen from any federal leader at any time - JOURNALIST: - but 'fair share' has wriggle room, doesn't it? The prime minister has not only guaranteed Western Australia getting our fair share and backed the WA GST deal - beyond that, five budgets we've delivered where that has been locked in and the money has flowed.
You have got record amounts of GST. I think $9.3 billion of GST flowing to the state government this financial year. And that is because our government kept our commitment, our rock-solid commitment to WA of getting the legislated fair share of the GST.
Like I said, I have fought for this at four elections, and every day that I am the federal member for Perth, WA is going to get a fair share of the GST. And if you want to look at where the wobblies are, you want to look at where the wobblies are on the GST. Have a look at Senator Bragg, someone who has always wanted to undo this deal.
Have a look at Senator Jane Hume, the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, who said that we should look at it. Have a look at the Greens Party, who said that it should be entirely based on need rather than based on each state getting a fair share. The wobblies on GST are not in the Labor Party.
The wobblies on GST are in the Liberal Party, the Greens, and in that new Teal Party, Community Strong Australia. In fact, Allegra Spender, the Teal Community Strong Independent Party leader, she wrote in the Economic Reform Roundtable, she wrote saying that she thought we should blow up the deal. I don't agree with that, and we ignored that recommendation.
And then finally, we want to add one more wobbly on the GST. The only other wobbly on the GST is Matt Canavan, someone who can't decide. Is he a former director of the Productivity Commission, or is he a wannabe National Party leader fighting for his party's political survival?
JOURNALIST: There was a Perth man who's died in Bali very tragically. We understand he was bashed. His family say it was by other Australians.
What support is the federal government providing to this family, and will there be any, I guess, assistance from Australian police with the investigation? Well, firstly, to this man's family, this is absolutely tragic what has happened. Someone who was just there to have a holiday and have a good time, and will sadly never come home alive.
It is just, it is tragic, and particularly Bali, a place where you know hundreds of thousands of West Australians holiday safely. This should not have happened, and of course we want answers. Our federal police, for a long period of time, have had a really deep relationship with the Indonesian police, and of course we're available to assist in any way that they need.
I am not in the position where I can talk about the specifics of consular matters, other than to say that Australia always provides consular assistance to Australians overseas and their families, and sadly, sometimes in the most tragic of circumstances, and that support is available. JOURNALIST: Will the federal government reach out to the family? I understand that there are offers made through the consulate and consul-general in Bali.
I do not want to talk too much about the specifics of sort of how that goes back and forward. The family is within 24 hours of dealing with the shock of that, so I'm going to just pass on my deepest condolences. And again say that when it comes to consular matters, Australia is always there to help Australian citizens, and we're also there to cooperate with our friends in Indonesia when it comes to police matters.
JOURNALIST: Just on the prime minister's visit to WA next week, do you think he should visit the Secret Harbour by-election? We have got a pretty jam-packed programme. And we're not just bringing the prime minister over.
It is important that you know that when the PM comes, he is bringing the entire ministry. And that's something we've done every year to make sure that all of my colleagues and Trish's colleagues see more and more of this great state, and some of them will be coming with some very exciting announcements, which I won't steal. I won't steal them from them, but I'm pleased about some of the things that I know will be talked about next week.
We will have ministers, including the prime minister, out all over the metro area, and a couple are going to the regions as well. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the final programme - JOURNALIST: - But is he expected to go to Secret Harbour? Again, I will leave the rest of the programme for the entire ministry.
I am heading down there later today to lend my mate Georgia a hand. I am looking forward to that, and I think you know we will leave the rest of the programme of what everyone's doing. But the Prime Minister ha got some really important work to do for all Western Australians, and what you'll see next week is the Commonwealth Government is committed to delivering for all Western Australians.
Delivering real change for Western Australians, when it comes to investing in our healthcare system. Delivering real change when it comes to investing in our schools. Delivering real change when it comes to make sure we build more homes in Western Australia.
And delivering real change when it comes to making sure that those who felt they've been locked out of the housing market for their entire life finally get a chance. I think you'll be run off your feet. JOURNALIST: Sorry, one more question from Canberra.
Why has it taken the Prime Minister more than six weeks to express regret over his appearance on the podcast? Does it show a lack of judgement on his part? I think if you look at the Prime Minister's interview that he gave on last night on the ABC, you will see what you'd expect from any political leader.
That is, that when you get something wrong, you say that you got it wrong, and you say you've learned from it. That is exactly what the prime minister did. And that is what I would expect of any member of parliament.
I know I've made mistakes in the past. I have had to apologise for those. When you do that, you then learn from it, and it's as simple as that.
We are all human, and we all have a responsibility to acknowledge our humanity. We might get something wrong from time to time. The Prime Minister did that on ABC last night.
I think that's the end of the matter. JOURNALIST: A question for the Salvation Army, if that's okay, from Canberra as well. So the ACTU recently called for 10% of all new homes to be public housing.
Do you support that idea? We certainly support the, I guess the underlying commitment of more social housing. As far as the exact amount and the percentage, I guess that's something that we would need to have further consideration on.
But we are certainly, of the belief that there needs to be a greater percentage of social housing in our community. JOURNALIST: Can I also ask, just on today's announcement, how much does that meet the demand out there for this kind of transitional accommodation? Look, I think we can all agree on the scale of this problem at the moment, in terms of housing insecurity, and so this one announcement today won't solve it all.
But it is progress, and of course we welcome progress at all times. So this is on the way, and it's part of the way, and so we welcome these announcements today because it will bring relief to people. It will bring support, and well-needed assistance to people hoping to avoid circumstances like having to come to a place like this with crisis.
So it's progress. JOURNALIST: Without obviously providing too much detail to people involved who come to you, but broadly, could you just sort of once again sort of say what this means to people in those situations? The feedback you get from from them, either yourself or..?
Yeah, maybe Kate, whether you want to just unpack that a little bit? KATE GREENWAY, SALVATION ARMY WA HOMELESSNESS SERVICES STATE MANAGER: People come to us desperate for accommodation and support services. So this announcement today shows us that the government is really committed to providing more housing, which is the most urgent need that the families and women and children that are experiencing homelessness are currently facing.
When people come to us in crisis, they want support. They want a safe place to call home, we can work in partnership with the government. If the if the government can provide the housing, then we can provide the support services, and we're really confident that we can do that.
We know that we need both to end homelessness for everybody in the community. JOURNALIST: With transitional accommodation, is there a hard and fast rule about how long someone can stay, or what's the generally how long do people stay in? Sure, it probably depends on the individual service and the contract that that service would have to deliver that.
We have a family accommodation program in Balga, which is a transitional accommodation service supporting up to 10 families at any given time, and they receive support for up to two years. We know that transitional accommodation is really important in providing the opportunity for our support team to meet the immediate needs for people, and then to help them stabilise and get ready to thrive and flourish in community when they move into their long-term housing option.
JOURNALIST: So you're not there for two weeks, and then...? No, no. So 'crisis' would generally be what would be considered the first port of call.
So that's zero to six months, roughly. And then 'transitional' is usually six to to 24 months. JOURNALIST: Last one - does Matt Keogh need to swap portfolios to repair the government's relations with our veterans?
Matt Keogh does not need to do that. Matt Keogh has done an outstanding job as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs in terms of delivering on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. If you look at the additional staff that he has been able to secure into the Department of Veterans' Affairs, where we have some 500 additional staff to make sure that we can deliver the packages and supports in a timely fashion.
There was an embarrassing backlog when it came to the delays in providing support to veterans. And I just acknowledge, as I said earlier, the minister showing the sort of level of maturity that you'd expect from anyone who has the privilege to serve. Acknowledged that he made a mistake with his diary.
He instantly - that day - corrected it. I have been with Matt talking to veterans across my electorate. I see the determination that he has to make sure that we deliver the absolute best of services for those who've served Australia.
And I see absolute respect from him for those who serve in our armed forces and those who have served. And I am really pleased that we've got someone with Matt's determination and Matt's compassion in that role. Thank you.
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