The RTA is conducting a targeted review of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (the Act) to ensure it’s meeting its objectives of fairly balancing stakeholder interests as well as removing legislative barriers to improved service delivery. (Picture from RTA website)
Last Thursday the Residential Tenancies Authority announced a review of tenancy laws in Queensland. The first round of submissions are due in on January 2, 2013. To read more about the review click here.
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.
Reprinted from
Tenancy service hangs on in Gladstone on despite cuts
ONE of the region’s most important rental assistance authorities to help renters has been granted a reprieve.
Gladstone region residents still have access to the services of a full-time Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service officer despite funding cuts by the Queensland Government.
Gladstone Regional Council’s Community Services portfolio spokeswoman Maxine Brushe said residents could still access TAAS services despite some office closures at other regional centres.
“The Gladstone office continues to provide advice and advocacy to Gladstone region tenants, referring owners and lessors to the RTA and has been aiding any callers seeking support from the Rockhampton region,” Cr Brushe said.
“The level of funding Gladstone receives will determine future service provision to the community and whether outreach services can be reintroduced.”
Cr Brushe said the continuation of services meant clients could access personalised service and support in understanding their rights and responsibilities, providing advocacy with real estates and assistance with social housing.
“Further assistance offered includes completing paperwork, referrals to other agencies, support letters, providing options and continued community involvement with groups such as Interagency,” she said.
“Earlier this year, it was announced joint funding for TAAS, through the State Government’s Residential Tenancies Authority and the Department of Housing and Public Works would end on October 31,” Cr Brushe said.
As a slight reprieve, the Federal Government announced in early October that $3.3 million in emergency funding would cover the costs of TAAS until June 30.
“This pro-rata payment does not include $1 million of funding which was provided by the Department of Housing and Public Works, meaning a reduction in overall funding by 22%.”
Cr Brushe said as a result of the funding cuts, the Gladstone region had been reduced to one full-time TAAS officer, losing the services of a support officer and its provision of outreach services.
“TAAS has operated from council’s Community Advisory Service in Goondoon St since 1991 and provides valuable community assistance helping people understand their rights and responsibilities in regards to residential tenancies,” Cr Brushe said.
“In the Gladstone region, housing pressures brought about by rapid economic and population growth have created strong demand for the advocacy service.
“TAAS services have been fully booked for the past 18 months, offering free and confidential access to information, advocacy and advice.”
The Federal Government has accepted an offer from the State Government to administer funds, meaning a new service agreement is pending.
Appointments can be arranged with the Gladstone region TAAS officer by contacting 4976 6360.
Today was the first day tenant advice services didn’t get state funding. That state funding is mainly from tenant bond interest but 31 October was the date of funding withdrawal.
The emergency Commonwealth money is on it’s way. 23 tenant advice services whose funding was cut by the state received funding contracts for the Commonwealth money late on Tuesday. Services which were quick to turn around the signing of the contracts will have money very soon.
The most bizarre thing is that because the Commonwealth decided to get the State to administer their emergency funds,the same bureaucrats are winding up the previous contracts and sending out the new ones.
Today is the last day that tenant bond interest will be provided by the Queensland government for tenant advice services in this state. Three months’ notice of program discontinuation provided to the 23 services funded under the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Program ends today. Tomorrow, tenant bond interest that would have been applied fo tenant advice services will apparently be diverted to social housing programs.
Good bye our dear friend. Let’s hope we are reunited sooner rather than later.
Thanks to the Commonwealth government’s emergency funding tenant advice services will remain open until at least the end of June. We now have a new battle ahead to regain the small proportion of tenant bond interest usually applied to our valuable tenant advice services beyond that date.
There were many tenant advocates at today’s Private Rental Market Forum run by the Tenants’ Union of Queensland (good work TUQ!!). The State Housing Minister, Bruce Flegg, opened the event and was very conciliatory but failed to give any commitment to funding for tenant advice services next year. We’re sure the advocates and the Save Tenant Services mob will continue to raise the issue.
October 30 – it’s the second last day of state government funding for tenant advice services in the Queensland. Withdrawal of funding (even though it comes mainly from tenant bond interest) occurs as of November 1. Thank goodness the Commonwealth government, through Housing Minister Brendan O’Connor, stepped in with emergency funding taking services for tenants through until June 30, 2013.
The Tenants’ Union of Queensland’s Exploring the Private Rental Market forum is on tomorrow afternoon in Brisbane. The State Housing Minister, Bruce Flegg, will open the fringe festival event at 1pm at the South Brisbane Institute of Technology.
Also at the event, Mr Magnus Hammar from the International Union of Tenants in Sweden will officially launch a report on evictions by the Tenants’ Union of Queensland.
Governments around Australia are moving towards the national (rather than state/territory based) regulation of community housing providers. The system is supposed to be in place by July 2013 and the second round of consultations is happening over the next few weeks. The Queensland government are looking at potentially large stock transfers from public to community housing, emphasising the importance of these consultations. It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re interested, click here to find out where the consultations are.
International Union of Tenants
Mr Magnus Hammar, Secretary General arrives today from Sweden. Whilst in Brisbane, Mr Hammar will speak at a forum organised by the Tenants’ Union of Queensland, ‘Exploring the Private Rental Market’ on October 30.Later in the week he delivers a keynote address to the National Housing Conference in Brisbane. Click here to go the National Housing Conference website.
October 31 = withdrawal of funding by the state Minister for Housing (Minister Flegg) for the entire 23 organisations funded by the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service program (even though the funds come mainly from tenant bond interest).
October 31 = the state Minister for Housing (Minister Flegg) opens the National Housing Conference at 8.30am at the Brisbane Convention Centre.
October 31 = the last day that Residential Tenancies Authority tenancy forms will be available at Australia Post Offices in Queensland.
October 31 = the last day tenants will be able to lodge or claim a residential tenancy bond at Australia Post Offices in Queensland.
You’ll remember we posted before about the Federal FaHCSIA bureaucrats working hard on the funding contracts for tenant advice service and then there was an announcement that the state would administer the funds. That means the same bureaucrats will be both wrapping up one contract to withdraw state funds, whilst signing a new contract for virtually the same services with the Commonwealth funding.
It was hoped the new contracts would be out by now, given the state funding withdrawal date of October 31 but there seems to have been a delay. Services do not yet know when agreements will come out or how much their funding will be. It is a nervous time for tenant advice services and workers.
We know that we’ve been a little quiet lately but the focus has been around the funding
arrangements following on from the Commonwealth announcement of emergency funding until June 2013. Whilst the Commonwealth funding is a welcome relief, there is still a long way to go to regain funding beyond June next year.
Focus on this next step will start soon and we’re asking for your ideas. What do you think we need to do, what should the next stage of the campaign focus on and how can we work together to regain long term funding for tenant advisory services in Queensland?
The Tenants’ Union of Queensland is holding a fringe event on October 31, prior to the National Housing Conference in Brisbane. This is the last day of state based funding for tenant advice servcies.
Tenant advice services across the state just received information that the State government will now administer the emergency funding from the Commonweatlh. On one hand the state will be wrapping up funding contracts with services whilst on the other signing up new agreements relying on the Commonwealth money.
We’ll keep you updated.