Tenancy advice play the ultimate waiting game 
Reprinted from the Daily Mercury 27th May 2013. Read from website here.

Mackay’s Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Service’s co-ordinator Koni Johnson is worried their service will have to close. Tony Martin

KONI Johnson is playing the ultimate waiting game as her future looms in the hands of the State Government.

Ms Johnson is Mackay’s Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Service’s co-ordinator and doesn’t know if she’ll have a job after the end of next month.

Last year the State Government pulled the plug on funding for more than 20 tenancy advice services. The Federal Government stepped in with funding, which allowed the services to operate until the end of June.

Last week it announced it would provide a further $2.5 million to keep the services open for another six months, but it is unclear if the State Government will accept this funding.

If not, Ms Johnson said she and her other two staff members would be out of work, leaving Mackay’s tenants without support.

“We’re in limbo land; it’s a rollercoaster ride that is full of ups and downs,” she said.She said the issue had dragged on for far too long and she was sick they were being used in a political game.

“We’re not puppets they can just play games with.

“We’re happy that the Federal Government hasn’t forgotten about services and is still trying to get the State Government to come to an agreement.”

A spokeswoman for Minister for Housing and Public Works Tim Mander said their position on tenant support services was unchanged and welcomed the $2.5 million to fund their homelessness plan.

She said if the Federal Government didn’t “want to work with Queensland on bricks and mortar solutions” then they could make their own arrangements.