A regional domestic violence organisation says funding cuts to their local tenant advice service will leave women and children in the lurch.  Whilst the DV service provides short term accommodation and support, they rely on tenant advisors to assist women with previous tenancy situations as well as with their re-entry into the private rental or social housing market.

Tenant advice services assist women and their children with their journey back into stable long term accommodation.  But more than that, these services assist many people, women and men, before they lose their rental home and aim to prevent homelessness.

The article in the Fraser Coast Chronicle states that the local tenant advice service is closing due to the lack of state government funding.  However, the reality is the service’s funding comes predominently from the interest generated on the investment of tenants’ bonds.  The money is not taxpayers funds, although the Department does contribute a small amount to the overall funding pool.  This is the travesty of the Housing Minsiter pulling the entire statewide tenant advice program – that it is a program for tenants, paid for by tenants.  See the article at http://bit.ly/OLicFW