Dear Supporters,
First, thank you.
More than 2,000 people signed our petition calling for a temporary emergency homeless shelter in Bunbury. That is not a small voice. That is a community speaking.
However, we want to be transparent with you. The petition is currently bogged down in a government committee.
Meanwhile, the reality on our streets continues in plain sight. Delays in responding to our request mean delays in protection for people sleeping rough, couch surfing, or living in unsafe and overcrowded conditions.
And the crisis is deepening.
WA at the “Epicentre of the Rental Crunch”
New data confirms what many of us already know: Western Australia is now at the epicentre of Australia’s rental crisis.
- Rents in WA have risen more than two and a half times faster than wages over the past five years.
- Rental affordability is at breaking point.
- Homelessness, housing stress and overcrowding are surging.
In the Greater Bunbury Region, we know of hundreds who are homeless. These are not abstract numbers. They are families, Elders, young people and workers who simply cannot keep up with runaway rents.
A shelter is urgent. And so is prevention.
Introducing: “Make Rent Fair WA”
A growing statewide campaign — Make Rent Fair WA — is calling for rental caps and stronger protections for tenants.
This is not radical. It is a practical response to a market that is clearly failing ordinary people.
When respected organisations like Anglicare WA sound the alarm, we should listen.
Recently, Anglicare WA Bunbury asked community members to email our local MP, Don Punch, urging action on rental fairness.
When organisations on the frontline speak out so clearly, it tells us something important: The crisis has reached a breaking point.
Why This Matters for Bunbury
A homeless shelter addresses immediate harm. Rental caps address the pipeline into homelessness.
Without rental reform, more people will be pushed out of housing faster than services can respond. The two issues are inseparable.
Our petition began as a call for emergency response. It is now part of a broader fight for change.
What You Can Do Now
- Support the Make Rent Fair WA campaign - https://makerentingfairwa.org.au/ This campaign provides the link to email your local MP, Don Punch.
- Share their message on social media and within your networks.
- Keep talking about homelessness in Bunbury. Silence benefits no one. Public pressure creates movement.
Our Voice is Powerful
More than 2,000 of you have already proven that Bunbury cares.
Committees can slow momentum. But communities can build it.
If we want a shelter, we must keep pushing. If we want rents that people can actually afford, we must speak up now.
Housing is not a luxury. It is the foundation of dignity, safety and community wellbeing.
We will continue to update you on the progress of the petition. In the meantime, let’s widen the circle of action.
Together, we can make Bunbury fairer and safer for everyone.