With Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s cabinet reshuffle last weekend, the Housing sector loses Minister Brendan O’Connor to the immigration portfolio.

In light of this change, Save Tenant Services wants to once again thank Minister O’Connor for his support last year. Minister O’Connor understood that access to our services sometimes means the difference between having a home or becoming homeless.  Three weeks before the state government was to withdraw all funding the the Tenants’ Union of Queensland and the 23 local/regional tenant advice services across the state, Minister O’Connor announced a rescue package.

His intervention – providing interim funding to the end of this June – allowed all 24 services to remain open and continue assisting tenants with their tenancy issues.  We have a battle to win with the state government between now and June to reinstate a tenant advice program in Queensland.  However, we are hopeful that Minister O’Connor’s intervention may be the game changer we needed.

Minister O’Connor has also been trying to embed a requirement on the states and territories to provide tenant advice services as part of a new funding agreement for homelessness services.  This is also due to be finalised by the end of June.  We will be pursuing this with the new Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Minister Mark Butler.

Thank you Minister O’Connor for your foresight, your support and good luck with your new portfolio. And welcome Minister Butler.