Politicians are scrambling to contain growing frustration in Perth's inner-east, where Rivervale residents and business owners accuse the Cook government of ignoring a community living in fear over anti-social behaviour they link to unsupported public housing. A visit to the Kooyong Road shopping strip last week by local MP Cassie Rowe and Police Minister Reece Whitby has been dismissed as a "five-minute photo op", and the dispute has now been taken to Parliament.
Residents of Rivervale, a suburb about 10 minutes from the Perth city centre, say they are tired of being ignored after months of working to be heard over anti-social behaviour they link to unchecked and unsupported public housing in the area.
The frustration sharpened last month when a teenager allegedly charged a passerby with a machete at Perth shops. Business owners on the Kooyong Road strip raised their concerns with local member Cassie Rowe, who then sought a visit from Police Minister Reece Whitby. Rowe is understood to have attended the strip with a state government photographer and did not notify the media of the visit.
Richie Harrop, owner of Somewhere Coffee, met the pair during the visit. He said the community was tired of being "ignored, patronised and handed generic political responses that tip-toe around the edges, while the problems affecting our neighbourhood continue to escalate", and dismissed the walk-through as a "five-minute photo op" that would generate a Facebook post but deliver no actual change.
Whitby told reporters he went at Rowe's request after police had already added extra patrols in response to her concerns. "I simply went along and I spoke to some of the local business people there and had a conversation with some local people about the issues," he said. "You get those issues from time to time in areas like that."
In a follow-up email to business owners, Rowe wrote that "the absence of a detailed update should not be mistaken for inaction", and listed meetings with the City of Belmont, the Department of Communities, WA Police and Housing Minister John Carey. She described anti-social behaviour as "a challenging and complex matter" that takes time to manage, said the community needed to address it "whilst recognising that some individuals require significant support", and urged locals to be realistic about what the agencies involved could achieve. "I am not going to make promises about immediate solutions or commit to deadlines that are outside my control," she wrote.
Harrop said the email had done little to reassure locals. "We do not expect every problem to be solved overnight, but we do expect a clear plan," he said.
The dispute has reached Parliament. Liberal MLC Phil Twiss met residents this week, including a Rivervale couple who lodged more than 60 complaints about a problematic public housing tenancy in three years, and on Tuesday asked the government about reports from business owners of public intoxication, threatening conduct and individuals allegedly carrying weapons.
Answering on behalf of Carey, Minister Jackie Jarvis said complaints related to public housing tenancies were handled under the Residential Tenancies Act, that the conduct described was a matter for WA Police, and that the Department of Housing and Works "has no power to investigate matters that occur away from a property".
Harrop said the response showed an enduring attitude in government. "The involvement of multiple government agencies should not mean that nobody ultimately takes responsibility," he said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Rivervale residents and business owners say they are living in fear, and the dispute has become a test of whether the Cook government can respond to a community that says it has been ignored for months.
- The case exposes the split responsibility for public housing in WA: tenancy complaints sit with the Department of Housing and Works, criminal conduct is a matter for WA Police, and the department says it cannot act on behaviour away from a property.
- The opposition has taken the issue into Parliament, ensuring it stays in the political spotlight.
Background
Rivervale sits about 10 minutes from the Perth city centre. Frustration on the Kooyong Road shopping strip has been building for months, with business owners reporting public intoxication, threatening conduct and people allegedly carrying weapons. Concerns sharpened last month when a teenager allegedly charged a passerby with a machete at Perth shops.
Residents link the problems to public housing tenancies they say are unsupported. One Rivervale couple lodged more than 60 complaints about a problematic tenancy in three years. The government's own description of the system shows how responsibility is divided: the Department of Housing and Works handles tenancy matters under the Residential Tenancies Act, while conduct away from a property is left to WA Police.
Key Perspectives
Rivervale residents and business owners: Cafe owner Richie Harrop speaks for locals who say they are tired of "generic political responses" and want a clear plan. He argues that the involvement of multiple agencies should not mean nobody takes responsibility.
Cassie Rowe and the Cook government: Rowe says she is working behind the scenes with the City of Belmont, the Department of Communities, WA Police and Housing Minister John Carey, and warns that anti-social behaviour is complex and takes time to manage. Whitby says extra police patrols were already in place before his visit and that such issues arise "from time to time" in areas like Rivervale.
The opposition: Liberal MLC Phil Twiss has met affected residents, including the couple who lodged 60 complaints, and has questioned the government in Parliament about weapons, threatening conduct and public intoxication. The ministerial answer, delivered by Jackie Jarvis on behalf of John Carey, pointed to the limits of the housing department's powers.
Critics/Skeptics: Harrop says Rowe's email urging locals to "be realistic" has done little to reassure them. With Rowe stating she will not make promises about immediate solutions or commit to deadlines outside her control, critics say residents are left without the clear plan they keep asking for.
What to Watch
- Whether the government offers a specific plan for the Kooyong Road strip, as Harrop demands.
- Further parliamentary questions from Phil Twiss and how the government responds.
- Whether the extra police patrols Whitby says were added are maintained.
- What comes of Rowe's meetings with the City of Belmont, the Department of Communities and WA Police.