Uniting to tackle homelessness: Launch of the South Metropolitan Regional Homelessness and Housing Plan
Leaders from across the Southern Metropolitan corridor – spanning Fremantle down to Waroona – came together last Tuesday to launch a joint Homelessness and Housing Plan for the region. Local partnership Imagined Futures[1] spearheaded the development of the plan.
As in other parts of the State and indeed the rest of Australia, the South Metropolitan region of WA is experiencing record low post-pandemic housing vacancy rates coupled with the challenges driven by increasing inflation and cost of living.
Speaking about the need for a regional plan Chair of the Imagined Futures partnership, Michael Piu said:
“A challenge of the size and complexity of homelessness is beyond the capacity of any single organization to solve.”
“This is precisely why a plan such as this one is needed to guide collective efforts; and why it is heartening to see such wide spread commitment to it. These are both necessary preconditions for achieving success – we all need to be singing from the same song sheet.”
It is fitting then that the Mayors of Cockburn and Fremantle, state parliamentary colleagues, public servants and leaders from the not-for-profit sector joined with Minister McGurk, who launched the plan, to demonstrate their commitment to working together to effectively address the challenge of homelessness.
During the launch Mr. Piu acknowledged the even greater array of people who contributed to the development of the plan.
He said “This plan reflects the expertise and knowledge of many people from all parts of the community. Their collective insights have resulted in an ambitious, yet achievable road map that will be a practical tool for aligning efforts and maximizing resources to benefit those most in need.”
“The launch of this Plan is an exciting milestone of course, but only the start of the journey. I look forward to the important work across communities in the South Metro region that will take the Plan forward.”
[1] Founded in 2014, Imagined Futures is a collective impact partnership auspiced by St Pat’s Community Support Centre. The partnership brings together human service agencies (government and not for profits), businesses, philanthropists, and community members to tackle complex social issues across the south west metropolitan region.
Photo Lto R: Andrew Geddes, Regional Executive Director, Department of Communities, Michael Piu, Chair of Imagined Futures and CEO of St Patrick’s Community Support Centre, Gerrard Shaw, Local Elder and member of the Leadership Group, Hon Stephen Pratt, MLC, Member for South Metropolitan Region, Mrs. Magenta Marshall, MLA, Member for Rockingham, Hon. Klara Andric, MLC, Member for South Metropolitan Region, Mayor of Fremantle, Hannah Fitzhardinge, Mr. David Scaife, MLA, Member for Cockburn, Minister Simone McGurk MLA, Member for Fremantle, Mayor of Cockburn, Logan Howlett, Leigh Sinclair, Executive Officer, Imagined Futures, Allan Connelly, Co-Chair WA Alliance to End Homelessness