ALKIMOS and Yanchep have both been identified as suburbs where residents are facing high levels of financial stress including bankruptcy.
On February 12 the McGowan Government announced free financial counselling services would be boosted for Western Australians struggling to pay their bills in high-need areas, which included Alkimos and Yanchep.
Two day later on February 14 the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) released personal insolvency statistics for the 2017 December quarter.
During the months of October, November and December last year 114 people were declared bankrupt in the City of Wanneroo.
AFSA said Wanneroo had the highest number of personal insolvencies in the metropolitan area followed by the cities of Rockingham (81) and Swan (81).
The Department of Communities said it was aware Alkimos and Yanchep were areas where residents were highly vulnerable to financial stress.
Department of Communities commissioning and governance acting executive director Jacqui Herring said the department was committed to ensuring Alkimos and Yanchep residents – as well as in other suburbs – had the opportunity to become more financially capable and in charge of their own financial situation.
Ms Herring said UnitingCare West was contracted by the department to provide services in the Perth North West region, which included Alkimos and Yanchep.
“The Patricia Giles Centre is a new partner within the Financial Counselling Network and will operate the Yanchep-Alkimos financial counselling service,’’ she said.
“Jacaranda Community Centre will provide a financial counselling service specifically for Aboriginal people and will include both centre-based and outreach support.
“This service will be available to Aboriginal people from the City of Wanneroo.
“Aboriginal individuals and families may also access any financial counselling services within the metropolitan wide Financial Counselling Network including services available in Alkimos and Yanchep.
She said the Financial Counselling Network, led by UnitingCare West and Anglicare WA, involved a consortium of 16 community services organisations working together to deliver financial counselling services in 25 locations across the metropolitan area.
