Shire of Broome to acquire near $3m loan to provide staff accommodation

Amid a housing shortage, Shire of Broome councillors carried out a motion at the August council meeting to take out a near $3 million loan to provide accommodation for Shire staff. The motion recommends the Shire construct 10 new properties to increase staff accommodation from eight properties to 18 with four properties to be acquired immediately. To fund the projects the Shire will attempt to obtain a $2.96m loan from the WA Treasury Corporation at a reduced interest rate. The motion comes in reaction to the Shire losing several staff recently due to the dire housing shortage in the sunny tourist destination. “We are losing staff weekly because of the housing issue so we are trying to lead from the front by purchasing accommodation for our staff,” Shire of Broome president Desiree Male said. Cr Elsta Foy was the only councillor to vote against the motion, fearing the multi-million-dollar loan would cause a rate increase. “We only have 8000 ratepayers in Broome,” she said. “We need the housing but I’m worried about the cost to council and ratepayers.” In response to Cr Foy, Cr Male said renting was not an option as there was minimal stock left in town. “There are no houses to rent. We are arguing with the State Government about them renting all of the houses in town,” she said. Cr Peter Taylor echoed Ms Male’s claim, asserting the purchase of staff accommodation was within the Shire’s long-term financial plan. “These borrowings are well with in the State Government thresholds,” he said. “It is important the Shire plays its role. We need to use our budget to increase the housing supply. “I think this is being financially responsible. We have some of the highest rents in the country. This solution is better than paying exorbitant rent with no long-term gain. It also ensures we attract the quality staff the Shire needs.” The motion also recommended the Shire president and chief executive continue to lobby the State Government to construct new Government Regional Officer Housing in Broome to ease pressure on the private rental market and provide grant funding for local government staff accommodation. It comes after Cr Male criticised the State Government in June for not taking urgent action to address the housing crisis in the famous tourist town. After a meeting with Regional Development Minister Don Punch in May, Cr Male said Mr Punch assured her that housing was a priority and that he would raise the issue with his Cabinet colleagues. But she said the time for talking “was well and truly over”. “It was great to meet with Minister Punch, who fully understands the issues we face up here, particularly with housing,” Cr Male said at the time. “And while Broome is by no means the only place in Western Australia experiencing severe housing shortages, we have one of the lowest levels of available housing stock and the highest growth in rental costs in Australia. “This has been the case for at least two years and things are only getting worse.”