Carey details $47m homelessness spend

Homelessness minister John Carey has unveiled a $47.6 million package to fund the continuation of 15 homelessness services in the state – a month after the headline figure was first announced.

The bulk of the $47.6 million investment, which was laid out across the forward estimates in the state’s mid-year review, will be used to provide certainty to four homelessness initiatives.

Mr Carey outlined that $34.2 million of the funding would be put towards the four initiatives, with $20.1 million to culturally appropriate homelessness response services in the metropolitan region and $7.8 million to a homelessness engagement response team.

A further $5.1 million will go to the state’s Safe Perth City initiative, which offers outreach support in the Perth CBD and surrounding areas.

Baseline funding will be boosted for 10 homelessness services run by charity organisations to the tune of $13.4 million over the coming three years, while $900,000 will go to the Passages Youth centre in the Peel region.

A further $900,000 will be used to maintain an up-to-date database on rough sleepers.

Big winners include St Bartholomew, which received $5.73 million towards multiple services; and Uniting WA which got $2.25 million for its Tranby engagement hub.

Mr Carey said the funding demonstrated the government’s commitment to supporting those experiencing homelessness in the state.

“This $47.6 million in new funding secures the long-term future of these critical homelessness accommodation providers or hub and support services, and will enhance service delivery throughout Western Australia,” he said.

The funding was first announced in December’s mid-year review, which outlined that the spend would extend contracts beyond June 30 for 15 homelessness accommodation and outreach services in WA.

However, the mid-year review did not specify which services would receive funding.

Today’s announcement, at the St Bart’s facility in East Perth, comes following a months-long spat between the housing minister and City of Perth lord mayor Basil Zempilas over the closure of the Safe Night Space run by Ruah Community Services in the city.

The state government offered $3.1 million to fund Ruah’s East Perth centre, an offer Mr Zempilas said came at the eleventh hour and well after the city made its decision to close the facility.

The centre was closed in December, having previously been funded by the city over a two-and-a-half-year trial period.

Mr Zempilas, whose name has been linked to Liberal Party preselection in the Churchlands ahead of the 2025 state election, has accused the state government of politicising the homelessness issue after it rejected an offer by Uniting WA to host an alternative CBD shelter at its Tranby Hub operation.

Tranby was a recipient of $2.25 million worth of funding commitment from the state as part of today’s announcement, but its services will not extend to the Safe Night Space service after the state’s Office of Homelessness recommended against the plan.