Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ covered the refunding of tenant advice services 
by the Federal government and where that might lead to in the future. They interviewed Tenants’ Union of Queensland Coordinator, Penny Carr, and Queensland Shelter Director, Adrian Pizaski. Click here to play it directly from their website.
Tag Archives: savetaas
World Homelessness Day today!
Today’s World Homelessness Day, aimed at raising awareness about homelessness in our communities. At the pointy end of their work, tenant advocates assist people to avoid homelessness and remain adequately housed. Where this cannot be achieved, tenant advisors help the tenant to extract themselves from the situation with the least long term impact and so they can re enter the rental market as quickly as possible.
Last week Homelessness Australia sent out a press release which articulated why we should celebrate the Federal government stepping in to fund the Queensland Tenant Advice and Advocacy Services and how our services contribute to lowering rates of homelessness. Read the article here.
Feds step in to stop axing of service
Reprinted from the Logan Albert News 10-10-12
What’s your question to the Minister?
From Queensland Parliament website
Later this month, the Queensland Parliament holds its budget estimates committees hearings. The hearings are held after proposed expenditures in the state budget are referred to portfolio committees (like housing) to examine.On the day of the hearings, both the relevant Minister and the Departmental head must attend and may be asked questions by Members of Parliament.
This year the Housing Minister will appear at a hearing on October 18. We want to know, if you were a Member of Parliament, what question would you be asking the Minister about his decisions in this year’s budget?
You helped Save Tenant Services – thank you!
You helped Save Tenant Services. Thank you.
Whilst we still have a long way to go to secure the long term future of the 22 local tenant advice services and the Tenants’ Union of Queensland, this week we had a significant win with the Federal government offering emergency funding to assist us until the end of June 2013.
And we want to stop for a moment and say thank you .This significant achievement would not have happened without each and every one of you. Whatever you have done, little or big, your efforts have helped us to get here. We’re going to be asking you to help us again in the near future but today is the day to say thank you, thank you, thank you. Your contribution has been vital in helping us along our way.
Mackay in the news again!
The Mackay Daily Mercury also reported on the funding lifeline given to the local tenant advice service by Federal Minister for Housing Brendan O’Connor. Read the artlcle here.
A welcome relief on the Fraser Coast
The Fraser Coast Chronicle reports on the Federal government’s funding package for tenant advice services. Read the artlicle here
Tenants are the winners in Mackay
Reprinted from the Mackay Telegraph 6-10-12
And then there were Ipswich celebrations….
Media Release, Wednesday, 3rd October 2012
SAVING THE TENANT ADVICE AND ADVOCACY SERVICE
The Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann today announced the Federal Labor Government will provide $3.3 million in emergency funding for the Queensland Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS), a service scrapped by the Newman Government.
The TAAS offers essential advice and advocacy services to tenants across Queensland, including Ipswich and the Somerset Region, providing assistance to 80,000 households annually.
On July 24, all 23 services funded through the TAAS were sent notice of withdrawal of funding by the Newman Government, effective 31 October.
“Advocacy and advice services like TAAS help keep Queenslanders in their homes and are critical to preventing homelessness,” Mr Neumann said.
“The axing of this important service was just another example of the Newman Government slashing jobs and services at every opportunity with no thought for people affected or the long-term repercussions.”
Mr Neumann said the Ipswich TAAS program run by the Ipswich Regional Advocacy Service Inc (IRASI) has provided support and assistance to people through the Ipswich and Somerset Regions for many years.
“Without IRASI, people who are disabled, people with educational and life challenges could be taken advantage of. Continue reading
Before the good news, Mackay were still concerned……..
Reprinted from the Mackay Telegraph 29-9-12
Sunshine Coast Daily covers Minister O’Connor’s announcement
Everyone is interested in the reprieve achieved by tenant advice services in Queensland. Click here to read.
Media coverage of today’s announcement by Federal govt
There’s been lots of media coverage of today’s announcement by the Federal Housing Minister that $3.3M dollars of emergency funding will be provided to Tenant Advice and Advocacy Services in Queensland.
This money will take services through until June 2013, all 23 which included the Tenants’ Union of Queensland, It is hoped that by then the Queensland government will return tenant bond interest to services for tenants rather than redirect it to other uses. See some of the coverage below:
The Brisbane Times: read here
ninemsn: read here
The Courier Mail onine: read here
The Gladstone Observer: read here
The Westender: read here
Emergency funding for tenant advice – doorstop with Minister O’Connor
This doorstop interview makes for great reading. Federal Minister for Housing, Brendan O’Connor, gave the interview today after making the announcement that $3.3M will be provided to tenant advice and advocacy services which have had funding pulled by the Queensland Housing Minister.
The question still remains whether the Queensland government will return tenant bond interest to them in the coming months via the funding of the tenant advice services. Read the interview here.
Gillard government rescues tenant advice services with emergency funding
As many of you will have now heard, the Gillard government, through Federal Housing Minister Brendan O’Connor, has announced $3.3M in interim, emergency funding for the 23 de-funded Tenant Advice and Advocacy Services. Read Minister O’Connor’s.announcement here.
These monies will proportionally fund each service between October and June 2013.
This decision by the Federal government is a life line to Queensland tenants who would otherwise be left without access to any free specialised tenant advice services from the end of this month. The Save Tenant Services group wishes to thank the Federal Minister and government for their support.
This does not mean, however, that our campaign is over. We still need to pressure the state government to stop using tenant bond interest for other purposes over advice and advocacy for all Queensland tenants.
Last year $5M was provided by the Residential Tenancies Authority to the Department of Housing for the TAAS program. This year, the Queensland Housing Minister, after deciding not to fund TAAS services, then required $7M to be provided for social housing. All from tenant bond interest.
Queensland tenants are the big winner today, but now the Queensland government needs to step up to the mark, stop taxing tenants of their bond interest and divert those $7M back into services designed and specifically for all Queensland tenants.
For helping get us to this point, we want to thank you all – Queensland tenants and the TAAS services themselves, support services in local communities who have so passionately supported the TAASs, state, national agencies, the Australian Services Union, the Opposition parties. At risk of missing significant supporters, we want to thank QAILS and NACLC and Community Law Australia. There are so many organisations and individuals that have helped. Please stay tuned, we still need your help.
Federal emergency funding forthcoming for tenant advice services!
Breaking and very big news for tenant advice services in Queensland – Federal Housing Minister Brendan O’Connor to provide emergency funds to Queensland tenant advice services through until the end of June. More to come. Good work all you supporters!!