STAFF PRICED OUT OF TOWN

Surging rents in Karratha are forcing an increasing number of struggling families to leave town, including one long-term resident, who said it was cheaper to switch to FIFO to stay working in her beloved community. According to data from REIWA, Karratha’s average weekly rent increased $128 a week to $620 last December, making it the most expensive region to rent in WA. Just four years ago, that figure was $260 according to 2016 census data, with 77 per cent of dwellings being rentals. Kirsten Boardman lived in town for almost 15 years and said she was driven out after her rent rose by $200 a week, causing her to relocate to Perth and continue her job in Karratha on a FIFO roster. “FIFO is my only option so that I can actually keep my job locally, that’s why I made that choice,” she said. “I just got pushed out of the market as a single parent on one income.” Ms Boardman is well known within the community for her charity work, P&C involvement, sporting dedication and commitment to the blue tree project, and said the high price of rent was the only reason she left town. “I have been heavily involved in the community and I’m still involved but now I’ve got to give up a lot of my groups and charity stuff because I won’t be here fully to commit,” she said. While Ms Boardman works at Rio Tinto, she was not eligible for company or subsidised housing as a casually employed contractor. Former resident Zara Lee Wigmore lived with her husband and three daughters in Karratha for three years before being pushed out last Christmas due to high rent prices. “The Pilbara was our life. We didn’t want to leave,” she said. “That was one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do. “It’s taken a toll. The impact it’s had on our girls, hearing them cry that they want to go home.” Living off a single casual income and struggling with the cost of medical expenses, Mrs Wigmore said her family relocated to Australind in the South West where rent is more affordable. “We thought Karratha was supposed to be becoming more family orientated so we were looking forward to raising our three daughters up there, but unfortunately that’s not the case,” Mrs Wigmore said. “People just seem to be becoming greedy. “It’s ripped apart everything that we had set up for our future up there. “Make it more affordable for families, help the lower income families out or give more employees a housing subsiding. “I just really hope that there is a massive change and that we are one of the last families that have to relocate because of it. “Families should have stability and reassurance.” Karratha resident Amanda Parisi-Jones has lived in Karratha for three years but was given 60 days to vacate her leased Rio Tinto house due to not being an employee. Now unable to afford the cost of a rental, Ms Parisi-Jones said she and her husband are having to relocate and leave their jobs. “The rents are way too high for us to stay unfortunately. I’m not sleeping because it’s like where are we going? What are we doing? It is pretty stressful,” she said. “I haven’t seen anything under $600 a week for just a basic three by one. “I’d like to stay because it’s a beautiful town. Unfortunately it’s time to now move on. It’s going to be hard.” In response to price increases, the City of Karratha proposed a $35 million scheme in December to boost housing stocks and increase affordability after it surfaced fewer than 1.5 per cent of the city’s 8500 residential homes were available to rent or buy. While no official plans have been made, the city received tenders last month for the potential development which received significant backlash from local homeowners concerned their property values would decrease. Ms Boardman supported the council’s proposed housing investment, but said it was too little too late. “I know the mayor is talking about subsidised housing, but it’s just way too late for me unfortunately. I can’t hang for 6-12 months to see how that goes,” she said. Ms Parisi-Jones agreed, saying it would have been beneficial if the City implemented this a few years ago.