Media Release | 22 May 2025
David Bolt
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Housing Minister John Carey is continuing to refuse to listen to the genuine concerns raised by residents of an Inglewood community living in fear from the behaviour of nearby residents of a social housing complex.
Shadow Housing Minister David Bolt met with residents who, in frustration, took their concerns to Parliament yesterday after Minister Carey had refused to meet with them in their neighbourhood over the past five months.
“These Inglewood residents have been crying out for help for months to the Government to do something about the deterioration of their neighbourhood,” he said.
“I tried in Question Time in Parliament yesterday to get Minister Carey to meet with them, while also trying to get some answers to the problems they are facing.
“But, the Minister could not find the time to meet, while they also had the opportunity first-hand to see Minister Carey dodge and deflect my questions on their behalf.
“He had the gall to describe the residents attending Parliament as ‘a stunt’ but all they wanted was to be listened to.”
Residents living in Inglewood have been subjected to threats, assaults, intimidation and abusive language from residents of a Ninth Avenue social housing apartment complex for five months.
Police have been called out to the area on more than 300 occasions with police patrols on horseback a regular occurrence. In Question Time Police Minister Reece Whitby described the area as ‘one of the most policed parts of Perth’.
“The Minister admits there are problems at this public housing complex but offered no solutions for law-abiding citizens,” Mr Bolt said.
“The Cook Government’s social housing policies are flawed, they’re putting communities at risk, and they are experimenting with people’s safety and sanity.
“The appalling and at times criminal behaviour of these troublemaking tenants means they have forfeited their right to social housing.
“There are more than 20,000 people on the social housing wait list who would appreciate a permanent roof over their head.”
“Those committing crimes and being anti-social should be moved on, and deserving tenants should be moved in.”
Mr Bolt said residents were now concerned about another planned apartment block of social housing in their neighbourhood.
“I asked Minister Carey whether that proposed 50-unit complex nearby, earmarked for seniors only, would only be for people aged 55+ but he would not give myself, or the residents in the gallery, a straight answer,” he said.
“If communities lose confidence in the process for social and affordable housing, we will have a crisis on our hands, because people won’t want social housing in their community.
“The Liberal Party is supportive of social housing as long as it is rolled out rationally and in
context.”
Mr Bolt said high need social housing tenants needed to be placed in areas with appropriate support services.
He said residents he had spoken to were supportive of social housing in their neighbourhood but were critical of the manner it was being rolled out.
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Graham Mason | 0419 194 792
