From Steve Austin’s blog site
This morning Steve Austin’s program on ABC 612 featured an piece about the tenant advice services and the offer from the Commonwealth to fund them. Click here to listen to Housing Minister Mander trying to explain why it is a good idea not to take $2.5M to help Queensland battlers and the Tenants’ Union of Queensland’s response to that.
Joint Press Release May 30
Minister for Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Hon Tracey Davis
Minister for Housing and Public Works The Hon Tim Mander
The Newman Government has signed the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) despite the Gillard Government only committing to one year of funding certainty for homelessness services in Queensland.
Communities Minister Tracy Davis and Housing Minister Tim Mander said Queensland wanted to secure a long-term funding solution for homelessness, and was disappointed the Gillard Government refused to look beyond the September election.
“The Queensland Government sought a long-term agreement so we could continue to provide on-the-ground support for the homeless, but the Gillard Government has failed to allocate a single dollar beyond the next financial year,” Ms Davis said.
“Previously, the Federal Government had committed to halve the rate of homelessness by 2020—clearly this commitment has been forgotten.
“Australia needs a government which will stand up and act like adults and make decisions in the best interests of the community, instead of making short-term decisions based on a looming election.”
Mr Mander said the Newman Government was given a deadline to sign the partnership agreement to secure homelessness funding in 2013–2014.
“This stunt is just a quick fix to get this current dysfunctional Federal Government in crisis through to the next election,” Mr Mander said.
“Threats to deny the Queensland community of vital services is what we have come to expect from a Labor Government that throws temper-tantrums when things don’t go its way.
“The Newman Government is committed to tackling Queensland’s homelessness both now and in the future and we want the Gillard Government to play its part, but they need to get fair dinkum about this, and offer up a funding commitment that goes beyond the next 12 months.”
Media Release 30 May 2013
THE HON MARK BUTLER MP Minister for Housing and Homelessness
From today, homelessness services across Australia have the certainty they need to continue providing critical support to vulnerable Australians, with all states and territories having now signed a $320 million national homelessness agreement for 2013/14.
But Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Mark Butler was bitterly disappointed that the Newman Government has soured the deal by refusing to accept Commonwealth funding to continue critical tenant advice and advocacy services.
“Every state government in Australia should hold their head high today, except the Newman Government whose bloody-mindedness could spell the end for dozens of advocacy services across the state, funded through the Queensland Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service,” Mr Butler said.
“The Queensland Housing Minister Tim Mander is flat out refusing to take funding offered by the Commonwealth to keep these services going over the next six months which is frankly bizarre.”
“I’m not sure if this is a ‘parallel universe’ where a state is being offered $2.5 million in funding for homelessness services and knocks it back for no reason, other than pride.”
“I know that the service providers are dumbfounded – they’re shaking their heads and saying: what state Minister in his right mind would knock this offer back?”
“Let’s be clear – the Newman Government’s decision to refuse federal funding will result in families living on the streets.”
“Every day, dedicated workers in these support services work hard to help tenants keep a roof over their head and avoid becoming homeless. They deserve to know what their own future holds.”
“The good news is that every other state is doing the right thing and continuing to fund their tenant advice and advocacy services.”
The National Partnership Agreement is part of the Australian Government’s $26 billion investment in housing and homelessness, which aims to halve the rate of homelessness and offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers who seek it by 2020.
Today both the Commonwealth and State government sent out press releases about the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.
Here is the Commonwealth government’s press release.
And here is the State government’s press release.
Another Brisbane Times article about the State government’s refusal of money to keep tenant services going. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/funding-offer-wont-dictate-policy-on-tenant-service-lnp-20130529-2naqu.html
You can make comments at the bottom.
Read this article in today’s Brisbane Times by clicking here. There is space for comments at the bottom.
Government Must Put People Before Politics And Accept TAAS Funding Offer
Press Release OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
TUESDAY 28 MAY 2013
The Newman government has put politics before people, refusing to accept a Commonwealth offer to save the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service with the Cairns TAAS already closed and Rockhampton TAAS to close by the end of the week.
Shadow Housing Minister Jo-Ann Miller said although the LNP government had an offer of $2.5 million in Federal funds on the table, it was determined to doom the TAAS service by playing petty political games instead of helping the thousands of Queenslanders who rely on the critical service to keep a roof over their heads.
Mrs Miller said Housing Minister Tim Mander was showing his true cruel and callous colours by refusing to accept the offer and keep TAAS offices in regional centres throughout the state open.
“With a stroke of his pen Mr Mander can save thousands of families the anguish they will experience once this service is gone,” Mrs Miller said.
“Instead, he chooses to play silly political games, refusing to even respond to this offer of $2.5 million which will keep TAAS offices open for the next six months.
“That’s typical of a government that would axe this frontline service in the first place. Continue reading
What a great offer by the Commonwealth government – thank you. Please Premier Newman, support tenants in our state and continue funding for the TAAS program.
Word has just come down that Queensland has signed off on the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness. We have no details yet, but a core requirement under this agreement was the funding of tenant advisory services. We’ll update you as we get more information.
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. Continue reading
A great response from one of our supporters to the Premier’s facebook team.
This is a response from the Premier’s Team last Friday to questions about TAAS. We’re not sure if they realise that many electorate officers call TAAS for help.
Hi Susie – As someone who has worked in an electorate office, I can assure you that staff and MPs are capable of accessing, reading and explaining the legislation to tenants.
This is what electorate officers do, on a daily basis, covering the whole spectrum of issues.
They are also happy to provide free photocopies to assist tenants and constituents. In fact, many offices are happy to print out hundreds of community newsletters for free.
As we all know, the RTA’s website has directories filled with detailed fact sheets and forms and explanations that can help an electorate officer explain to a constituent their rights. The electorate office staff would be happy to print out these fact sheets. (In fact the one I worked in had a number of factsheets printed out ready to go). Of course, the RTA does provide free concilliation services. The RTA’s Dispute Resolution Service can be conducted through separate telephone calls, a teleconference or by face to face conference.
It’s worth noting that the RTA successfully resolves 70% of all disputes through concilliation. Of course, unresolved matters can then be held by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. QCAT is designed to allow Queenslanders to represent themselves – in fact, all parties involved in a matter before QCAT must represent themselves. As you acknowledge, tenants have to represent themselves at QCAT – so do landlords. Continue reading
Member for Morayfield, Mr Darren Grimwade, sent this response to constituent who sent it to us on facebook. We cannot let this pass without comment because many things said are incorrect (see our responses below). To be fair, it’s not much different to what other members of the government have been saying, but with a TAAS in his electorate, we thought Mr Grimwade might had a better understanding. This is what he said:
….Hi Julie, The government last year made the decision to redirect funding from TAASQ to bricks and mortar housing solutions, this decision stands. Services provided by TAASQ were an unnecessary duplication of services already provided by the RTA, various Queensland NGOs and more than 30 community legal centres around Queensland. Priority must be given to housing the 23 000 households on the social housing waiting list, which includes people with a disability, the elderly and single parents with children. Continue reading
What you can do to help Save Tenant Services (click here) and why you should try! This story sent from a TAAS worker.
A disabled woman on crutches just came into our office. She’s turned up a few times before, and no matter that we always remin…d her, the idea of making an appointment doesn’t seem to stick. Since she’s travelled over half an hour on public transport and then walked (on her crutches) from the train station to our service, we don’t turn her away. Continue reading
A quick history:
* The Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service Program (TAAS) was discontinued last October by the State government. Funding to all 23 community based services was withdrawn despite the money being generated from the interest on tenants bond money, rather than tax payer dollars.|
* The Commonwealth government provided emergency funding for TAAS services across Queensland from November 1 to June 30 this year.
* The Commonwealth have insisted on the State funding tenant advice and advocacy services as a part of the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness which will provide funding for homelessness services.
* The State has not announced what it will do. However, after many months of stating that TAAS services are valuable but they can’t afford them, it has started to say that tenants’ needs can be covered by the statutory body, the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA), and other community services such as community legal services.
* The RTA has not and cannot provide the same services as tenant advice services namely:
* Community legal centres have made strong statements that they cannot pick up the load
* The Commonwealth have now offered the State another $2.5 million to fund tenant services for 6 months as long as the State funds them after that
* The State is indicating that nothing has changed and they do not want to fund tenant services –http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/tenant-service-in-deep-water-despite-life-raft-20130522-2k13o.html