BREAKING NEWS – 23 TAAS services are today being advised by the Department of Housing that current funding contracts will not be extended. Services are calling on the Premier to review this decision and reinstate funding from tenants’ bond interest to tenant advice services. You can help – please call, email or write as quickly as possible:
Queensland Premier
The Hon Campbell Newman MP
GPO Box 15185
CITY EAST QLD 4002
Phone: (07) 3224 4500
Fax: (07) 3221 1809
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/campbell.newman
Twitter: @theqldpremier
April 11th 2013
[email protected]
Dear Premier
RE: Funding for tenant advice services
I seek your immediate commitment to funding for the Tenants’ Union of Queensland and the statewide network of local, independent tenant advice services.
Tenant advice services have been funded in one form or another since 1989 and provide vital support and assistance to tenants across the state. These services will cease operation by June 30 if your government does not announce funding in the near future. By committing as little as 15% of the interest generated annually on tenants’ bonds the entire network of services could be retained.
Unlike the Residential Tenancies Authority (which is fully funded from tenant bond interest) which must remain an impartial player in the industry, tenant advice services provide specialist and targeted services for tenants. Without such services tenants will be more vulnerable to becoming homeless and will have their access to justice limited.
I would like a response to my request for funding reinstatement as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Donna Toussaint
Great work Donna, thanks for your support.
I want to know what the government intends to do with the tenant bonds interest money that was used to pay for the TAAS services. The government must tell us what they intend to do with the money they are stealing from the tenants and the support they need
Hi Barb, it sounds like they might use it for either developers or community housing providers in social housing developments. We’ll be keeping an eye on it. It’s a good question for the RTA as they redirected $7M in bond interest this year which was to go to the TAAS services. Only a small part of that would have been needed for them given the turn of events!