Members appointed to new Advisory Group on homelessness

• Diverse community and Government sector experts and leaders appointed to new Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group
• Part of McGowan Government's homelessness reforms
• 11 women and six men represent client groups including Aboriginal people, people with disability, seniors and youth
• Advisory Group will guide and support the implementation of All Paths Lead to Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030
  

The McGowan Government has appointed 17 respected community and Government leaders, experts and people with lived experience to the new Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group.

As part of the McGowan Government's homeless reforms, the new advisory group sees the consolidation of a number of homeless working groups into a single Housing First Advisory Group to the Minister, focusing on Housing First approaches to reduce rough sleeping.

The Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group is made up of 11 women and six men, who have expertise from a range of areas including tenancy law, front line support services, local government and Community Housing Organisations.

The membership also includes people with personal or family lived experience of homelessness and those who deliver or have delivered services in regional and remote areas of Western Australia.

The Group will support and guide implementation of All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-30 (Strategy). It will provide advice to the Minister for Homelessness about reforms towards a Housing First and No Wrong Door approach across the homelessness sector, including addressing barriers in the system.

The Group, which will meet quarterly, will be chaired by Mr Mike Rowe, Director-General of Communities.

The 16 other members are:

• Mr Andrew Brien, Chief Executive Officer, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder;
• Ms Bettina (Tina) Ugle, Managing Director, Noongar Mia Mia;
• Ms Cath Hart, Chief Executive Officer, Real Estate Institute of Western Australia;
• Ms Corina Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Family Legal Service;
  
• Mr Daniel Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation;
• Mr David Pearson, Executive Officer, WA Alliance to End Homelessness and Chief Executive Officer, Australian Alliance to End Homelessness;
• Ms Debra Zanella, Chief Executive Officer, Ruah Community Services;
• Mr Jonathon Lake, Design Leader, Gresley Abas Architects;
• Ms Jude Thomas, Director Place and Community, City of Mandurah;
• Ms Kath Snell, Chief Executive Officer, Shelter WA;
• Ms Kim Robinson, Program Support Officer Social Policy, WACOSS;
• Ms Louise Olney, Director Building Communities, Minderoo Foundation;
• Mr Michael Chester, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Uniting WA;
• Ms Natalie Sangalli, General Manager, Housing Choices Western Australia Ltd;
• Ms Samantha Drury, Chief Executive Officer St Bartholomew's House (St Bart's); and
• Ms Sharon Gough, Chief Executive Officer, Indigo Junction.
  

Other homeless reforms introduced by the McGowan Government include:

• assisting a further 100 rough sleepers into 100 social homes in a supported landlord model in partnership with Housing Choices;
• acquisition of the 30-room former Murray Street Hotel, to be transformed into low barrier, supported accommodation for people sleeping rough in the Perth CBD; and
• ongoing work towards the consolidation of multiple outreach services into a single service.
  

The East Perth Common Ground tender process closed on 8 February 2023 and the evaluation process is currently underway, with the 100 homes supported landlord initiative to provide an interim response to homeless accommodation during this process.

For more information about the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group visit the Department of Communities:

Comments attributed to Housing and Homelessness Minister John Carey:

"The formation of the new Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group is a strong, positive initiative, bringing together a number of the State's key leaders and experts to provide advice on the delivery of our homelessness reforms.

"The Advisory Group will work in a coordinated and focused way to ensure our reforms outlined in All Paths Lead to Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 are fully implemented.

"This Government is focused on delivering a Housing First approach that is evidence-based and provides tangible long-term outcomes.

"We have a clear focus to assist people sleeping rough and give them access to appropriate accommodation and intensive wrap-around supports to enable them to transition into long-term housing options.

"The Strategy is evidence based and was co-designed with State and local government agencies, community service providers, people with lived experience and local communities.

"Our Government is investing $2.4 billion in housing and homelessness services in WA over the next four years, including the delivery of around 3,300 social dwellings as well as refurbishments and maintenance work to many thousands more.

Minister's office - 6552 5300