40 Years of commitment and dedication.
State Government
Informally, workers with the (federally funded) Tenants Advisory Service began advocating as Shelter WA for the disadvantaged in Perth, starting with Aboriginal housing in the Shire of Swan. By now Shelter was operating in all Australian States and Territories (Gilmour, 2018).
First Vietnamese ‘boat people’ refugees arrive in Darwin seeking asylum. * Cigarette and tobacco advertising banned on radio and TV in Australia.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA became an Incorporated Company on the 7th August 1980. Initial attempts to register the name ‘Shelter WA Incorporated’ ran into problems at the Corporate Affairs Office, due to the similarity to ‘Pets Shelter (W.A.) Incorporated’ (and was not formally registered with ASIC until 2005). * Shelter began to meet with Minister for Housing of the day, Ian Laurence.
Rubik’s cube hits the market globally. * Death of baby Azaria Chamberlain by a dingo at Uluru.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA received $68k Commonwealth Employment Programme (CEP) funding to employ two project workers and an administrative assistant for 12 months.*
Shelter/TAS raised awareness and public support around the significant capital investment in preparation for the America’s Cup, and impact on rents and displacement of those on low incomes.*
Shelter WA’s base funding was still just $4k for the year, which came from National Shelter.*
New Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) negotiated that expanded eligibility to single, youth and invalid pensions, all previously excluded from the Commission’s services (Menck, 2014).*
Local Govt and Community Housing Programme established by Housing Commission assisting people in crisis and with particular needs.
Advance Australia Fair became Australia’s new national anthem. * Bhopal gas leak in India poisons and kills an estimated 6,000 people.
Federal Government
WA Government
Advocacy continues, with a submission to the ‘Emergency Housing Office’, and request for an Aboriginal representative on the Housing Advisory Committee.
Tracey Summerfield
Pan Am Flight 103 shot down over Lockerbie, Scotland.*
Australia’s Bicentennial marked 200 years since colonisation.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA first Annual Report produced and the newsletter revived.*
Now have secure representation on State Advisory Committee to the Local Government and Community Housing Program, and Community Housing Advisory Committee.*
Key sectors identified: women, youth, supported accommodation, community legal centres, aboriginal housing, people with disabilities, ethnic groups, regional groups, cooperative housing, housing associations, tenants groups.*
A Lotteries Commission grant of $6,545 enabled the purchase of a computer, printer and software.
First Gulf War in Iraq.*
Australia’s total wealth ranked it as the richest nation on a per capita basis (ABS 1350, 1995), however the country was also moving into a recession cycle, with unemployment reaching 12%.*
Carmen Lawrence was elected unopposed as the nation’s first female premier in WA.*
Metroplan released, the first planning document for Perth since the 1970 Corridor Plan.
Federal Government
WA Government
‘Shelter now renting office space at Brooke Centre, 59 East Parade, East Perth.*
‘Operation Sweepup’ launched by Perth Police in an attempt to clear young people from Perth’s streets at night, using Section 138B of the Child Welfare Act to detain young people believed to be at risk (Gregory, 2003).
Apartheid ends in South Africa.*
Australia Day first celebrated by all States and Territories at the same time.
Federal Government
WA Government
Homeswest and Shelter move to biennial funding which provides a higher degree of certainty for Shelter’s future planning (then approx. $113k per year), also agreeing a set of consultation protocols. Shelter WA began conducting regional housing forums in Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Busselton, Derby, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Mandurah / Pinjarra, Margaret River, Midland and Port Hedland.*
SHC began working with private developers by the mid 1990s, with many older apartment blocks demolished; reducing housing density and ‘dismantling’ public housing estates with their ‘New Living’ programme (Menck, 2014).*
Bennett House a long standing Aboriginal hostel (cnr Bennett and Royal Streets) in East Perth demolished. An infamous case was heard in the WA Supreme Court, Martin vs. State Housing Commission, regarding the discrimination experienced by Aboriginal people. (Beresford, 2001).
Jack Mansveld Policy Officer until April, then replaced by Erin Gauntlett. Camille Inifer Administration and Information Officer.
Karen Merrin (Chair), Leanne Strommen, Kath Mallott, Pauline Logan, Mike Newbigin, Janet Bond, David Fernley, Kim Gabriel, Cathcart Weatherly, Leanne Barron. Long term committee members David Fernley (Fremantle Housing Assoc) resigns due to ill health and Pauline Logan of Tenants Advisory Service, long service leave.
19% of Australian homes are now connected to the internet.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA presented Creative Approaches to Urban Renewal – A conference on the Redevelopment of Public Housing, supported by Lotterywest.*
Research undertaken for WACOSS Poverty Taskforce producing report ‘Housing for a Sustainable Community: The State of Housing in Western Australia’.*
Implementation of a new Commonwealth/State Housing Agreement (CSHA) and signing of the fourth Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) agreement.*
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) formed.*
National Homelessness Strategy launched.*
Australia Federation of Homeless Organisations (AFHO) launched by Jocelyn Newman, Minister for Family and Community Services.*
First Home Owner Grants were introduced in July to ‘encourage and assist home ownership’ (but also contributed to rising house prices).*
‘Wandana’ flats in Subiaco built in 1954 added to the State Heritage Register.
Sydney Olympics.*
GST introduced by the Howard Government.
Federal Government
WA Government
Activities include Kalgoorlie Regional Housing Forum, Women and Adequate Housing Forum (with Tenants Advice Service), Indigenous Housing in Regional Areas Forum, Two surveys on homelessness.*
WA government abolishes stamp duty for first home purchasers on dwellings below $220,000, with discounts available for dwellings up to $300,000.*
Rents in Perth rise sharply, in line with house prices.
Network City replaces Metroplan as they key planning document for Perth, with a shift towards urban consolidation.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter’s website got a style upgrade, the internal organisational management and administration went under review and restructure, and a revised information management process was implemented.*
In January 2008 the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd and the Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek, announced the development of a comprehensive, long term plan to tackle homelessness, ‘The Road Home’ report published, later that year.*
The Commonwealth government also initiated a National Rental Affordability Scheme to deliver incentives of around $8,000 per year per new dwelling constructed for rental housing to low-moderate income households at a price 20% below market rents for 10 years, from State and Commonwealth funds (AR 207/08)
Bronwyn Kitching (Exec Officer), Heidi Stuart (Research Officer), Corrine Mercer (Administration).
Roger Raven (Chair), John Perrett. Deborah Corkill, Ian Main, John Ballard, Martin Sinclair, Paul Harrison, Sherl Westlund, Liz Kerry
Global Financial Crisis.*
Airbnb founded, one of many ‘disruptive’ emerging technologies, in this case greatly affecting the temporary accommodation market.*
Formal apology to the Stolen Generation delivered by Kevin Rudd.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter made submissions to the WA Mental Health Commission Consultation for the ‘WA Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan 2010 – 2020’, and to West Australian Planning Commission ‘Directions 2031 and Beyond – Perth and Peel’.*
At this time “WA received its largest boost to affordable housing in a decade, including new and expanded homeless services operation from July.” (AR 2010/11).
Richard Sheridan (Chair), Cindy Dunham,Bev Carstairs, Danielle van Kampen, Juanita Barron, Antoinette Morris , John Hollywood, Martin Sinclair.
Chantal Roberts (Exec Officer), Community Dev & Policy Officer: Stephanie Bachman, Research Officer: Dr Shae Garwood, Research & Policy Support Officer – Keiko Miyazaki, Administration: Corinne Mercer
WA Liberal-National Government release Affordable Housing Strategy 2010-2020: Opening Doors to Affordable Housing, its goals reportedly ‘achieved’ by 2015 (WAPC, 2018).*
WA Mental Health Commission created.
Federal Government
WA Government
The Department of Housing indicated it wished to procure the services from only one representative organisation (then shared by Shelter WA and the Community Housing Coalition of WA) – a tender then won by Shelter WA. “In July 2014 Shelter WA was awarded the Policy Advice, Stakeholder Engagement and Influencing Services contract by the Housing Authority.” (AR 2014 15)*
Shelter WA facilitated a highly successful forum on the Future of Homelessness in WA on 20 May 2014 with over 95 key stakeholders and community leaders, participants then joining the Shelter WA Advisory Committee on Homelessness to support the implementation of the innovative solutions. *Defunding of national peak bodies National Shelter, Homelessness Australia and the Community Housing Federation of Australia (CHFA) announced in late 2014 as part of the broader Department of Social Services’ funding cuts. A resulting Senate Inquiry emphasised the ongoing funding uncertainty for specialist homelessness service providers across Australia.
Jonathan Shapiera, established South West Australian Homeless People (SWAHP). SWAHP submitted a document to the Federal Senate and led the first ever homeless group to give evidence to a Federal Senate Housing Inquiry. This set the foundation for the voices of people with lived experience to drive policy in Western Australia. One of SWAHP’s suggestions was upheld by Federal Government. Jonathan communicates his lived experience episode to others to bring awareness of the problems being homeless and is a tireless advocates striving to enable change through policy and communicating to the public of how close we can all become to being homeless. A copy of the submission can be found here.
Chantal, Shae and Jonathan presented at the Sydney Conference
Malaysian Airlines flight 370 disappeared after leaving Kuala Lumpur, followed by MA17 shot down over the Ukraine.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA Board adopted a new strategic plan with a focus on systemic reform to deliver an effective housing system for all with two strategic priorities – championing the development of an effective housing system and bringing all parts of the housing system together.*
Michelle Mackenzie appointed to the newly created Chief Executive Officer position in March 2018.*
WA End Homelessness Alliance was awarded a Lotterywest grant that enabled Shelter WA to become the backbone organisation to support implementation of a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in Western Australia.*
The Shelter WA Homelessness Week Reference Group, refocussed homelessness week 2017 to ‘Let’s end homelessness, not just manage it’.*
Shelter WA also secured a place on the Metronet Industry Reference Group to enable advocating for social and affordable housing diversity and growth within this significant State infrastructure project.*
During 2017/18 Shelter WA presented 18 policy submissions to Federal, State and Local government, and hosted 15 events with 650 attendees.*
PerthandPeel@3.5million final planning document published, incorporating plans for Metronet and a need to create 800,000 new homes.
International crew rescued 12 boys and their soccer coach from a cave in Thailand.
Federal Government
WA Government
Shelter WA turns 40.
New branding officially released in March 2020.
Shelter WA – Pre Budget submission completed
HOME (Hear of my experience).
Shelter WA Inaugural Affordable Housing and Homelessness Awards held in November
Australia experienced one of its worst bush-fire seasons, which saw devastating affects across the county but especially in the eastern states.
Coronavirus was discovered in China, the source source of the corona virus is believed to be a “wet market” in Wuhan which sold both dead and live animals including fish and birds. The virus is currently spreading across the world.
The UK officially left the European Union.
Federal Government
WA Government
All statements above are true to the best of our knowledge. Much of the data is based on anecdotal information. If you spot an error please advise the Shelter WA team.
Australia. Industry Commission (1993). Public housing. Australian Govt. Pub. Service, Canberra.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, A selected history of Australia. www.abc.net.au/archives/timeline/history.htm Accessed 7 August 2019.
AHURI (2017) Census data shows falling proportion of households in social housing. https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri-briefs/census-shows-falling-proportion-of-households-in-social-housing
Beresford, Q. (2001). Homeswest versus Aborigines: housing discrimination in Western Australia. Australian Aboriginal Studies, (2), 40.
Bolton, G. C. (1989). Way 1979: Whose celebration?. Studies in Western Australian History, (10), 15-20.
Crawford, E. (2003). Equity and the city: the case of the East Perth redevelopment. Urban Policy and Research, 21(1), 81-92.
Gilmour, T. (2018) Champions of Change: Shelter NSW, Community Activism and Transforming NSW’s Housing System. Sydney, Shelter NSW.
Gregory, J. (2003). City of Light: A History of Perth since the 1950s. UWA Publishing.
Hayward, D. (1996). The Reluctant Landlords? A History of Public Housing in Australia. Public Housing Australia, Vol 14, No 1. pp5-35.
KPMG (2012) Social Housing Initiative Review: Report for the Housing Ministers Advisory Committee, September 2012, KPMG, Sydney
Menck, C. (2014). A thematic history of Government Housing in Western Australia. Department of Housing, State of Western Australia.
Rowley, S., James, A., Phibbs, P., van den Nouwelant, R., & Troy, L. (2017). Government led innovations in affordable housing delivery. ARURI Final Report No. 289, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Limited, Melbourne, doi:10.18408/ahuri-8113101.
Shelter WA correspondence, file notes, newsletters and Annual Reports (‘AR’)
Yates, J. (2013). Evaluating social and affordable housing reform in Australia: lessons to be learned from history. International Journal of Housing Policy, 13(2), 111-133.