Colleen Clarke: Nurse of 26 years to be homeless in two weeks after being told to vacate property

Queensland’s housing crisis has reached breaking point, with frontline workers among the growing number of homeless forced on to the streets.

A nurse of 26 years will be homeless in two weeks if she can’t find a rental, while other frontline workers are sleeping in cars and couch surfing as they become the latest victims of the state’s homelessness crisis.

The Sunday Mail can reveal one case of a teacher sleeping in her car and showering in the school gym before students arrive for class.

Other nurses across the state are skipping meals and choosing between feeding their children or filling up on fuel.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ OTHER NURSES’ HARSH REALITIES

Colleen Clarke, 50, has been working as a nurse in Theodore, in Central Queensland, for the past three years.

Theodore nurse Colleen Clarke is two weeks off being homeless. Photo: Steve Vit.

In February, she was told to vacate the rental she and her partner Rodney Bulmer have been living in for 12 months by May 4.

“We’ve got nowhere to go. The only option I’ve got is to put my stuff into storage … and I’d have to live out of my car,” she said.

“Every day I get up and go to work and care for people, fighting my own demons at the same time.

“I try and put a smile on my face but inside it’s killing me because I can’t provide.”

Ms Clarke’s partner is on a waitlist for a hip replacement and has been unable to work for the past four years.

“I’ve battled with health issues myself, but every day I get up and go to work,” she said.

She said the nurses quarters in town were full and didn’t accommodate couples or their dog Luna.

Teachers Professional Association of Queensland President Scott Stanford said he knew of many teachers sleeping rough and couch surfing or moving back home.

“There’s one lady I know, she sleeps in a car … She actually moves around so she’s out of the area where the kids might see her,” Mr Stanford said.

“She often showers at work early in the morning because she goes to the gym at work and uses that as a cover.”

St Vincent De Pauls chief executive Kevin Mercer said frontline workers, including teachers and nurses, were accessing their services across the state.

“I think it’s difficult for people on low, middle income to really find affordable accommodation close to where they work. And often in those regional areas they just don’t have accommodation,” he said.

Theodore nurse Colleen Clarke is two weeks off being homeless. Photo: Steve Vit.

Nurses Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ) president Kara Thomas said high inflation and cost-of-living pressures meant nurses had effectively taken a pay cut.

“There are nurses who are single parents and struggling more and more to make ends meet,” she said

“The government has funds to provide ludicrous incentives to the construction industry, potentially as a result of the CFMEU support for Miles Premiership leading up to an election. “These incentives provide almost double the pay in perks, eclipsing what any frontline nurse could earn with the average wage reported to be not much more than $80,000.”

She said many working nurses were also affected financially from Covid suspensions and terminations, which had led to homelessness.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Sarah Beaman said nurses and midwives across the state were facing the same cost-of-living and housing pressures as the rest of the community.

“The cost-of-living crisis combined with the lack of affordable and accessible housing in regional, rural and remote areas for nurses and midwives is a workforce risk,” she said.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the government was addressing the issue of affordable housing for a range of frontline workers.

“The 2023-24 State Budget allocates $118.2 million to build and maintain housing for essential workers in health, education and emergency services,” they said.

“We also offer free or subsidised accommodation assistance, and relocation costs, to attract new employees, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas,” they said.

According to Department of Education data released in response to a parliamentary Question on Notice from the LNP, government-owned residences for education workers has only increased 1.5 per cent from 1974 homes in 2018/19, to 2003 residences in 2022/23.

NURSES AND THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

Nurse for more than 30 years: I have difficulty finding a rental property and having to choose between food and petrol.

Nurse for 11 years: I have to take on a second job on top of full-time work and on call. I can’t afford to eat out anymore if I want to be able to go to the dentist.

Nurse for 8 years: I am pregnant and I have to ask my family for groceries or spare money to help with paying bills.

Nurse for 8 years: Rent each week is greater than 50 per cent of my income for an older, small, very basic house. I am currently needing to find new accommodation and am struggling to find anything I can afford to rent.

Nurse for more than 30 years: Trying to get a rental but I can only secure a rental in a bad area because I can’t afford the bond. Paying $600 a week is awful, you make a choice of eat, fuel or home. Paying for parking at work $13 a day 5 days a week scandalous. $65 a week, that’s food or fuel.

Nurse for more than 40 years: I struggle to put a decent meal on the table for my two adult sons with moderate to severe disabilities. Once the modest $399k mortgage is paid, I go without meals, social coffee etc. Never eat takeaway or eat out.

Nurse for 6 years: As a single parent I am living paycheck to paycheck, our pay is not in line with the cost of living and mortgage interest rates.

Nurse for 8 years: I can’t afford to buy a property as a single person. You’re almost living paycheck to paycheck, between rent and bills. Finding housing in this rental crisis has led to grossly overpaying to have a roof over my head.

Nurse for 20 years: I am constantly chasing pay to pay which bills to catch up on. I am balancing child care and nursing along with another casual job. I haven’t serviced my car since Covid lockdowns because my husband has to rebuild his business. Choosing between feeding my toddler or fuel to go to work every day!

Source: NPAQ survey