Opposition slams Government for ignoring the homeless crisis in Geraldton and Mid West

The Opposition has accused the State Government of dragging its feet over finding a solution to the homeless crisis in Geraldton. With plans in motion to demolish the Batavia Motor Inne, there are concerns over what will happen to the homeless population currently using the derelict site as a shelter. Shadow housing minister Steve Martin claimed the government was using the Batavia as an excuse to not address the issue. “The government have been able to put off coming up with a solution because of the Batavia’s existence and if the Batavia is about to be demolished then you are just going to shift the problem from that location to somewhere else,” he said. “There are a number of concerns, in the short to medium term that Geraldton and the Mid West aren’t able to deal with the homeless population in any compassionate, reasonable sense. “This hasn’t snuck up on anyone, it’s been a long-term problem and it’s been right in the face of everybody in Geraldton.” Mr Martin called on the government to urgently invest in crisis accommodation, fearing the problem will continue to be ignored. “There is an enormous lack of crisis accommodation in Geraldton and other parts of regional Western Australia,” he said. “If they are forced out there’s some chance that they’ll be less visible and I hope the government don’t see that as an opportunity to walk away again from the solution that needs to be provided.” The owners of the Batavia Motor Inne have flagged their intention to demolish, but say they are still assessing “various development opportunities for the site, which could include reuse of the remaining built form.” Housing Minister John Carey said the Batavia Motor Inne was private property and the State Government did not have the power to remove people, but had written to the owner urging them to secure and fence the site to prevent trespassing and antisocial behaviours and address health and safety hazards. While several people have been rehoused, not all people who attend the Batavia were homeless, Mr Carey added. The minister accused the Opposition of “cheap political point scoring”, while the government was focused on addressing the complex issue of homelessness and its underlying causes. In May, 10 residents from the priority public housing wait list, including some rough sleepers from the Batavia, were rehomed into six refurbished properties in Spalding. That complex is the first of up to 48 older social housing properties to undergo refurbishment in Geraldton and Spalding as part of a $9 million project to renew Spalding. “There are 26 properties currently being refurbished and expected to be returned to public housing stock by late 2022,” Mr Carey said. “My message is clear: we’re doing all we can, using every lever at hand, to bolster supply of social housing.” The government has committed $18 million to a short-stay Aboriginal facility for Geraldton though this has been delayed until at least 2024 with the department stating further consultation was required.