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• Funds reallocated from Kununurra Aboriginal
  Short Stay to refurbishments and new social housing in Kununurra and Wyndham
• Cook Government acknowledges the advocacy of
  stakeholders for more temporary and permanent housing locally

The Cook Government will
deliver a significant boost to social housing in Kununurra and Wyndham, after
reallocating the nearly $20 million initially committed to the Kununurra
Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation (KASSA).

This includes funding to
construct new houses in the community and to refurbish and return existing
social housing stock to the system.

Redirecting this funding
will boost the supply of social housing by up to 32 homes over the next two
years.

This includes eight homes
that are ready to contract with local builders to construct, and four that are
ready to commence the design process.

These projects will
provide a pipeline of work to local builders, offering opportunities for
Aboriginal employment, training and apprenticeships.

The reallocation allows
the State Government, through the Department of Housing and Works, to engage
small and medium businesses that may not have benefited from a project on the
scale of a short stay.

The government acknowledges
the work of local stakeholders who advocated for the KASSA, but ultimately it
was no longer feasible.

The project has faced
significant challenges, including a lack of suitable vacant land or existing
facilities for repurposing.

The Department of Housing
and Works, in partnership with local stakeholders, looked extensively for
workable sites.

A site was identified in
early 2024, however, the existing facility is now an Aboriginal youth training,
education and accommodation service – a much-needed service for the local
community.

As a result, the government
withdrew from negotiations from this site.

The reallocation is part
of the Cook Government’s record $6.3 billion spend on housing measures since
2021, including the delivery of more than 3,800 social homes.

Comments attributed to Housing and Works Minister John Carey:

“I acknowledge there will
be many people in the community disappointed by the decision to reallocate
funding for the project, but our government is ensuring every dollar committed
to the short stay will be spent in the Kununurra and Wyndham communities.

“This investment will
deliver up to 32 homes for vulnerable members of the community, helping to
address the demand for social housing in the area.

“While this project is no
longer feasible, our government will continue to engage with local stakeholders
to increase access to secure housing.”