YOU’RE OUT: Bruce Flegg plans a public housing policy. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: The Courier-Mail
On October 31, the day the National Housing Conference opened in Brisbane and the last day of state funding for tenant advice services, journalist Sarah Vogler filed the following report in the Courier Mail.
Unruly public housing tenants face three strikes home policy
UNRULY public housing tenants will soon find themselves looking for somewhere else to live with the Newman Government set to introduce a “three strikes and you are out” policy.
And they could be out even sooner if they engage in violent or illegal behaviour, Housing Minister Bruce Flegg said.
Mr Flegg will today announce the Government’s plans to adopt a scheme similar to that used in Western Australia to help clamp down on public housing tenants who continually break the rules.
“I am proposing to crack down on these unruly tenants by asking them to leave if they receive three strikes within 12 months for disruptive behaviour like noisy parties, vandalism or destroying property,” Dr Flegg said.
“If tenants have engaged in assault, acts of violence or drug manufacturing, the department would immediately initiate legal action to evict them.”
Dr Flegg said the Government wanted to send a “clear message” that if public tenants did not appreciate their homes, there were plenty of others on the waiting list who would.
But he said he would also look at measures to ensure those affected did not become homeless as a result.
“People are struggling in a range of areas including finding affordable housing options, maintaining rental tenancies and moving from homelessness to stable housing,” Dr Flegg said.
“This has increased the demand for social housing assistance with the numbers on the Queensland waiting list increasing from around 21,000 to more than 30,000 between 2008 and 2011.”
Dr Flegg, who will make the announcement at the 7th National Housing Conference in Brisbane today, flagged the policy in September and has since gained LNP support.
He said initial evidence showed the Western Australian scheme was working.
Legislation is expected to be introduced into State Parliament next year.