No new State Government homes built or bought in Augusta-Margaret River despite ‘record investment’

WA Housing Minister John Carey is unable to point to any new homes provided to combat the Augusta-Margaret River shire’s housing crisis, despite talking up the State Government’s record investment. With residents increasingly distressed by the housing crisis gripping the region, pressure is mounting on the minister to offer more than rhetoric when it comes to new and repurposed social housing for the Augusta-Margaret River shire. May’s State Budget trumpeted $1.1 billion for housing and support services, including $400 million for social and affordable housing projects Statewide, and $60m for a Regional Community Housing Grants program to support community housing providers. However, a ministerial spokesperson told the Times since July 2021, contracts for five new social housing dwellings had been issued in addition to eight units announced in late 2022 for the Kyloring social housing project at the Witchcliffe Eco Village valued at $2.9m, and not yet completed. Furthermore, although the Department of Communities had “spot-purchased” or finished building 122 social housing homes, none were within the Augusta-Margaret River shire. During the same period, one of eight DOC homes had finished being refurbished under the Community Housing Grants program. Overall, the State Government had 99 social homes within the shire compared with 2506 in the South West overall, though Mr Carey expressed possible interest in a mixed-density project at the disused Water Corporation site on Willmott Avenue. A spokesperson for the minister said the latest funding boost brought total investment in housing and homelessness since 2021-22 to a record $3.2b, with $834m added in the latest State Budget. “Generally, social housing delivery is aligned with overall demand, and the most significant demand is across the Perth metropolitan area,” they said. Nothing further was offered as to the lack of investment in the district. Housing advocacy group Just Home Margaret River’s manager Galatee Underwood said the lack of concrete action within the shire wasn’t good enough. “There are no current indicators for an easing of demand or any quick increase to housing supply,” she said. “It is the local and WA State Government’s responsibility to invest in and find practical solutions to this complex issue, and we must keep pressuring them to take this responsibility seriously and do the right thing by residents.” In comments on the housing issue provided to the Times in June, Shire of Augusta-Margaret River president Julia Meldrum said the local government would continue pressing the State Government for more investment. “Access to secure housing affects the wellbeing of everyone in our community, which is why we want to work with the State Government to address this complex issue,” she said. Meanwhile, other pundits, including the Margaret River Business Network, noted accommodation was one of the biggest challenges for local operators unable to house the willing workers attracted to the shire. Those remarks were echoed by deputy shire president Tracey Muir, who noted “a lack of housing affects us all”. “It means we’re unable to house essential workers, and puts individuals and families into financial stres,s forcing them to live in their cars or leave the region altogether,” she said.