October 31 is the last day the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS) program is funded at a state level following the Queensland Housing Minister Bruce Flegg’s decision to discontinue the program and reallocate the funds.  On that very same day, the National Housing Conference opens at the Brisbane Convention Centre at 8.30am with a speech by Minister Flegg.  A sad irony to say the least.

The Commonwealth government will commence their emergency funding of the TAAS program the next day, preventing Queensland from becoming the only state or territory without any tenant advice services.  On November 2, the Federal Housing Minister, Brendan O’Connor (whose department is providing the emergency funding), addresses the National Housing Conference at 9am.

The defunding of the TAASs by the state government and attempted removal of these important support services for private rental market and social housing tenants casts a shadow over the Conference (particularly as these services were virtually self-funded by tenants through the interest generated on their bonds). Tenants are just not treated equitably.  Three weeks before announcing the defunding of TAAS, the Queensland government reintroduced stamp duty concessions for repeat home purchasers, costing the government $250M annually in lost revenue.  Reducing these concessions by just 2.5% would cover the entire cost of the TAAS program.

The Secretary General of the International Union of Tenants (IUT) is a keynote speaker at the National Housing conference .  The IUT considers Australian tenancy laws weak when compared to other developed countries.  Had it not been for the actions of the Federal government, Queensland tenants’ relatively weak rights would have been further compromised without access to any advice to ensure they are respected.

October 31 – November 2 will be strange days indeed.  If you’re interested in the National Housing Conference program you can see it here.