Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This year's budget commits over $1.1 billion to reducing family and domestic violence and making our community safer for women and children. O'Connor is benefitting directly from more than $3.75 million in safe places funding to expand Indigenous-specific emergency housing. Southern Aboriginal Corporation will receive over $3 million to establish a much needed new crisis centre in Albany. Their CEO, Asha Bhat, was here in Parliament House last week and said, 'This will help combat the homelessness of Aboriginal women and children in the Great Southern.' Their current refuge is at full capacity and many families are having to be housed in other towns where they do not necessarily feel safe or welcome.

In the Goldfields, Merri Best of the Goldfields Indigenous Housing Organisation is thrilled to receive $780,000 towards four new three-bedroom houses to provide crisis accommodation for Indigenous women fleeing violent domestic situations. Chair Dianne Logan added they have 'just been scraping by', currently managing 48 houses and supporting many Goldfields Indigenous families. She stressed that many Aboriginal women fleeing violent situations are not comfortable in mainstream shelters, so having Indigenous-specific housing is critical to those who are otherwise living rough on the fringes of our Goldfields communities. In addition, GIHO has just qualified for federal funding as a Local Drug Action Team. This will further support them in addressing alcohol and drug related family harm and homelessness in Indigenous communities in the Goldfields. I commend and will continue to support GIHO and SAC in the great work they're doing supporting Indigenous communities across my electorate of O'Connor.

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