16/08/05
Housing and Works Minister Francis Logan has rejected a push by National Party leader Brendon Grylls to keep Homeswest tenants out of Merredin.
Mr Logan was responding to a letter sent to him last month in which Mr Grylls complained about the ‘exodus of Homeswest and Centrelink-reliant people from the city’.
“There seems to be a constant stream of people from the metropolitan area to the country who have an expectation that life will be easier,” Mr Grylls, who is also the Member for Merredin, wrote.
“On the contrary, these people will have less services to utilise and a less supportive network.”
Mr Logan said the letter seemed to be at odds with a media statement issued by Mr Grylls at the weekend, in which he outlined proposals to encourage homeowners to move to country towns.
“On the one hand, Mr Grylls is telling people who live in Homeswest homes what a rotten place Merredin is,” the Minister said.
“He then turns around and tells potential home buyers that towns like Merredin offer what his media release describes as ‘unique opportunities’.
“Mr Grylls wants home buyers to move to Merredin, but only if they are the right sort of people. He wants to keep Homeswest tenants out.”
Mr Logan said the Gallop Government was committed to building more Homeswest housing in Merredin.
“In the coming year, we will issue tenders for six new three-bedroom duplexes in Merredin and, in doing so, will invest $1million into the economy of the town,” he said.
The Minister said the State Government was undertaking a huge upgrade of public housing in regional Western Australia over the next four years, which would see $120million spent replacing 800 Homeswest homes and refurbishing 200 others.
Minister's office: 9222 8950
