Opposition call for public housing tenant crackdown as FOI documents show regular police visits at Hectorville complex

Police have been called to a suburban Housing Trust unit complex 22 times in 35 days, prompting Opposition calls for a crackdown on unruly public housing tenants.

Police have been called to the Hectorville Rd, Hectorville Housing Trust unit complex 22 times in 35 days. Picture: Dasha Havrilenko

Police were called to a Hectorville Housing Trust unit complex 22 times in just 35 days, prompting opposition calls for the government to crack down on unruly public housing tenants.

The Liberals on Sunday released Freedom of Information documents showing police had been called to the Hectorville Rd complex 22 times from December 1 to January 4.

The documents show the jobs that police were called to included reports of damaged property, serious criminal trespass, assault, fire, domestic violence and disturbances.

Jeremy Marton, 49, who has lived there for more than 10 years, says most of the issues were caused by a single tenant causing disruptions.

“This one neighbour has impacted all the 16 units here to different degrees,” Mr Marton said. “He set things on fire, broke glass, and got STAR Force here for four hours trying to get him out of the apartment and they had a negotiator and a battering ram.”

While The Advertiser does not suggest the troublesome neighbour was charged with any crime, he was evicted. But it didn’t stop him from coming back, according to Mr Marton.

“I saw him like a week ago and I got the impression that he was squatting in one of the flats downstairs,” he said.

“We have people here that are dealing with mental health troubles and are prone to anxiety. Having this man around makes them very nervous.”

The local MP, Liberal Vincent Tarzia, blames the incidents on Premier Peter Malinauskas and the state government for “going soft” on public housing tenants doing the wrong thing.

“We’ve seen a police siege here, we’ve seen a fire here,” he said. “Residents in this area are just sick and tired of this anti-social behaviour.”

Human Services Minister Nat Cook said she had asked Mr Tarzia for bipartisan support but was rejected.

“I reached out to Mr Tarzia, the local Liberal MP, to offer a site meeting and better co-ordinate any response that might be needed,” Ms Cook said.

“But he rejected this offer, saying he didn’t want to waste the government’s time.”

Ms Cook said the resident in question was no longer living at the complex and would not be coming back..