“If this is the case, it is clear that we must act to tighten the rules in our regime and in our policies.
“First, to ensure that we advertise these applications so that our neighboring residents and local taxpayers are aware of the application and secondly, by acting to make it an intended use, we remove any doubt – the council may reject the application .”
The change could give the City more leeway to refuse community center requests.
If councilors approve the regime change, it will still need to be ticked off by Western Australia’s Planning Minister Rita Saffioti before it can be signed into law.
Councilor slams homeless minister’s 10-year-old decision
Fleeton also recently questioned local government and homelessness minister John Carey’s stance against the council’s decision to push back Ruah’s move.
On social media, Fleeton noted that Carey, as Vincent’s town councilor, voted against setting up a street youth night service that was located against residential properties in 2012.
“This was for YouthBeat, a service run in conjunction with WA Police and the Department of Child Protection,” Fleeton wrote.
“As a local councilor at the time, the minister listened to the concerns of his local community and represented his ratepayers. This is what local government is for.
The minister was the only adviser to vote against the service, which is still currently operating in the Vincent.
Carey, who was elected to Vincent’s council in 2011, said Today the decision he made ten years ago was wrong.
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“I was a new adviser, who had little understanding of the challenges facing the homeless sector,” he said.
“Over the past decade I have worked closely with the homeless sector on a number of issues, including as co-chair of a City of Perth Homelessness Task Force , who navigated difficult issues including coordinating a large number of mobile support services at the Moore Street precinct.
“I also expressed my support for a homeless medical respite center just minutes from my home.”
Carey said if he had had more time, he wouldn’t have taken the same job he did 10 years ago.
“Fortunately Vincent City Council made the right decision and approved the homeless service. It exists to this day and does a great job,” he said.
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