Curtin Students Deserve Safe Housing
Concerns about student safety in on-campus housing have made headlines this week, with The West Australian reporting on incidents of trespassing and serious gaps in security at older student residences.
The Curtin Student Guild has consistently raised the alarm about these issues, from broken gates and poor lighting to the lack of fencing and swipe card access across several residential clusters. These are not isolated complaints. They are recurring concerns we’ve been hearing directly from student residents for months, and they reflect an unacceptable gap in how the safety of our campus community is being treated.
As Guild President Dylan Storer told The West Australian:
“People deserve to be able to move about their home, or go to the laundry or common areas or gardens, with a reasonable level of expectation that strangers aren’t wandering about.”
The Guild has also led the push for better student living conditions more broadly. Last semester, over 1,000 students signed our petition calling for air conditioning in older student housing — a basic standard for wellbeing, particularly in extreme heat. Despite this clear demand, Curtin University has yet to formally respond.
The Guild is continuing to call for:
- Secure fencing and entry controls at all housing sites
- Improved lighting and 24/7 security patrols
- Swipe card access to shared amenities
- CCTV upgrades and increased campus visibility
- Air conditioning in older accommodation blocks
At Guild barbecues and events, we’ve heard from hundreds of students who consistently tell us the same thing: they pay a lot in rent but get very little in return when it comes to safety, comfort and basic amenities.
We are committed to ensuring student voices are not just heard but acted on. Students deserve to feel safe and supported in their own homes, and the Guild will keep fighting until that is a reality.
If you are experiencing safety concerns or want to get involved, reach out. We’re here for you.
Learn more about the Guild Housing Campaign here.