Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group

The Department of Communities has established an advisory group to progress the implementation of All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia's 10 Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030.
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Homelessness is a challenging and complex issue that significantly impacts some of the most vulnerable people in our community, intersecting with many other social, health and economic issues, including trauma, family and domestic violence, mental health conditions, drug and alcohol dependence and disruptive life events. As a consequence, responses to address and prevent homelessness require everyone to work together.

All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 (the Strategy) was co-designed with state and local government agencies, community service providers, people with lived experience and local communities.

This Strategy created the foundation for a significant shift in homelessness policy in Western Australia, moving from managing homelessness to aspiring to end homelessness. The Strategy also prioritises evidence-based models of housing and support, with a focus on Housing First and No Wrong Door approaches.

Establishment of the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group

To progress the implementation of the Strategy and progress a Housing First approach across the homelessness system, the Minister for Homelessness and the Department of Communities (Communities) has established the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group (the Advisory Group). 

The Advisory Group will provide regular and practical advice to the Minister for Homelessness to identify reform ideas, progress implementation of housing first approaches and remove barriers to access in the existing system.

Following an Expression of Interest process, the State Government has appointed the following 17 individuals to the Advisory Group.

  • Mr Mike Rowe (Chair), Director General, Department of Communities
  • Mr Andrew Brien, Chief Executive Officer, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
  • Ms Bettina (Tina) Ugle, Managing Director, Noongar Mia Mia
  • Ms Cath Hart, Chief Executive Officer, Real Estate Institute of Western Australia
  • Ms Corina Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Family Legal Service
  • Mr Daniel Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation
  • Mr David Pearson, Executive Officer, WA Alliance to End Homelessness and Chief Executive Officer, Australian Alliance to End Homelessness
  • Ms Debra Zanella, Chief Executive Officer, Ruah Community Services
  • Mr Jonathon Lake, Design Leader, Gresley Abas Architects
  • Ms Jude Thomas, Director Place and Community, City of Mandurah
  • Ms Kath Snell, Chief Executive Officer, Shelter WA
  • Ms Kim Robinson, Lived Experience with the Homelessness Sector
  • Ms Louise Olney, Director Building Communities, Minderoo Foundation
  • Mr Michael Chester, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Uniting WA
  • Ms Natalie Sangalli, General Manager, Housing Choices Western Australia Ltd
  • Ms Samantha Drury, Chief Executive Officer St Bartholomew’s House
  • Ms Sharon Gough, Chief Executive Officer, Indigo Junction.

Department of Communities Director General, Mike Rowe has been appointed as the Advisory Group Chair, until 30 June 2030 (for the length of the current Homelessness Strategy) with other members appointed for a three year period initially, commencing 13 March 2023 and ending 12 March 2026.

The group will meet four to six times per year. Meeting Communiques are available on the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group - Communiques page.