The State Government today confirmed the ongoing maintenance of thousands of public housing properties in the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Pilbara regions has been secured.
This follows Programmed Facility Management (Programmed) successfully completing its purchase of Pindan Asset Management (Pindan), which went into administration in May.
Upon Pindan entering administration, the Department of Communities (Communities) quickly established a collaborative relationship with Pindan's administrator, EY, to ensure continued provision of services to some of Western Australia's most vulnerable people while a longer term solution was enacted.
With the sale of Pindan to Programmed, an existing maintenance service provider to Communities, the majority of former employees and sub-contractors to Pindan also benefit from the sale - with retention bringing stability to a number of small businesses in the affected regions.
Communities is continuing its work with EY and Programmed to expedite, where appropriate, the necessary contractual arrangements required to support the sale process.
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
"The McGowan Government took a measured and considered approach to the Pindan Asset Management contract, despite repeated calls of the National Party opposition to immediately terminate the contract which would have resulted in an instant loss of jobs in the regions.
"I want to acknowledge the work of the Department of Communities, along with EY and Programmed to deliver this outcome - particularly within such a tight timeframe.
"Not only does this mean the jobs of around 90 existing Pindan Asset Management employees have been secured, it also ensures critical maintenance work will continue on thousands of social housing properties in the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Pilbara regions.
"This news will provide tradespeople with certainty about their jobs and ensure a critical pipeline of work will continue into the future."
