Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation – frequently asked questions

The State Government operates four Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation facilities in regional Western Australia, with a fifth under construction in the Perth metropolitan area.
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Below is series of generic questions and answers about Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation.

You can also access our Perth Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation FAQs and Geraldton Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation FAQs.

Who can stay at the Short Stays?

Short Stays are available to Aboriginal people and their families who travel to Broome, Derby, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie from across Country to access essential services, training or employment, or for business, family and cultural reasons.  The Department of Housing and Works is currently delivering an additional Short Stay in the Perth metropolitan area.

Some reasons for visiting Short Stays could be to attend health and medical appointments, participate in sport and community events, attend sorry business, access training and education, or to visit family.

What support, if any, is available to Short Stay guests who are travelling for medical reasons?

The purpose of Short Stays is to provide safe and affordable accommodation for Aboriginal people travelling to the area. In providing accommodation, Short Stays enable Aboriginal people to travel to access a range of services, which could include health and medical care. 

Guests travelling to access particular medical services may be eligible for the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme offered by the Department of Health.

This Scheme provides a subsidy towards the cost of travel and accommodation for patients and eligible support persons as a reimbursement, or upfront coverage of applicable costs. 

Potential support options to be offered by the Perth Short Stay are being investigated and will be determined upon the appointment of the service provider.

How long can guests stay at the new Short Stays?

Guests who are visiting Short Stays will be able to stay up to 28 days, unless there is a clear need to stay longer due to medical or other important reasons.

Guests will need to book their stay in advance and pay a nightly rate for the duration of their stay.

What will the Short Stays look like and what will they feature?

Housing and Works engaged with Aboriginal people, the community services sector, government agencies and a range of other stakeholders in each region to ensure each facility is culturally appropriate, respectful to the Country it is located on and responsive to the needs of the visiting Aboriginal guests it will accommodate.

The Short Stays include a variety of affordable rooms in different sizes and configurations for individuals and families, kitchen and laundry facilities, a dining and recreation room, an administration and reception centre.

A 24-hour concierge connects guests to services and fosters a sense of safety and security. All Short Stays are family friendly and drug and alcohol free.

How are Short Stays managed and operated?

So each Short Stay is regionally responsive, a ‘place-based’ model of service is developed to meet the needs of Short Stay guests, by defining delivery requirements for the Short Stay service provider (operator).

Non-government organisation(s) manage and operate the Short Stays and provide welcoming, personalised services to guests based on identified requirements through the place-based service design process.

What benefits do Short Stays provide?

  • Provide Aboriginal people and families with safe, culturally appropriate and affordable short-term accommodation options.
  • Help improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal people through family groups remaining together while travelling.
  • Enable Aboriginal people to access essential services and support, training, education and employment opportunities.
  • Help reduce overcrowding of housing within the region.
  • Boost job creation, Aboriginal employment opportunities and economic activity in the region. 

How do Short Stays differ from other supported accommodation facilities, such as Boorloo Bidee Mia and Wandjoo Bidi?

While there may be some crossover in guests of Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodations and the Common Ground and Boorloo Bidee Mia facilities, the most significant difference is that Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation is not crisis accommodation.

Short Stay guests must book their stay in advance and pay a nightly rate for the duration of their stay. There is scope for the Short Stays to accommodate overflow from crisis accommodation facilities when required, but first and foremost they run like a hotel or motel typically would.

There are already four operational Short Stays in WA, operated by non-government providers that are in high demand and have had a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of guests who use them:

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