Esperance Shire president Ron Chambers shows Peter Rundle MLA the Shire land set aside for worker accommodation last Friday. Photo: Geoff Vivian.
Nationals WA have pledged $6.5 million for Esperance Shire to build 20 units of worker accommodation on land opposite the Civic Centre.
The Shire has already committed to investing $2.3 million through land and capital funding for the project, so the Nationals’ pledge makes up the shortfall.
Shire president thanked the Nationals and Mr Rundle for supporting the project, and said they units would have a long life, even if they were no longer needed for workers in coming years.
“They are architecturally-designed units so not just a donga village,” he said.
“It’s designed for worker accommodation in the first instance but then also for people to be able to live in town central when they want to downsize.”
Mr Rundle said this was a “perfect spend” of Royalties for Regions money, in line with its original purpose.
“Our current Housing Minister needs to take a good hard look at projects like this where the Shire is actually providing the land and providing financial assistance as well,” he said.
“This is a great opportunity in a place like Esperance with a population of 14,000 and 1700 small businesses. We need those workers.”
When we asked WA Labor if they would match the commitment, a spokesman said the Shire could apply to a “Regional Housing Support Fund”.
He said this would provide grants of up to $5 million to unlock and bring forward new housing projects and land supply in regional WA – including housing for key workers.
However this would leave a shortfall of about $1.6 million for the new units.
The Shire of Esperance and the Esperance Chamber of Commerce recognised housing as a barrier to business growth and key service delivery in Esperance, in a 2023 Key Worker Accommodation Survey and a 2023 Esperance Shire Housing and Land Study.
