Welfare groups not consulted on LNP three strikes social housing policy

A new policy targeting unruly public housing tenants has come under fire. HAVE YOUR SAY

Housing Minister Sam O’Connor’s three-strikes social housing policy could force more people on to the streets and break up families already on a knife’s edge, peak welfare groups fear.

Mr O’Connor consulted frontline department staff but key groups such as QCOSS and Micah Projects said the first they knew about the plan was when they saw it reported by media.

However Mr O’Connor said serious anti-social behaviour had spiralled out of control under the previous Labor government.

All the new policy aimed to do was bring Queensland in line with practices in other states.

“We’re in a situation where the former government, over the last decade, on average, delivered just 509 new social homes per year and we have a wait list of 52,031 people,’’ Mr O’Connor said.

“My ideal outcome out of this is that we don’t see an increase in evictions, my ideal outcome out of this is that we see change in behaviour.’’

He said frontline officers would have the discretion in cases of domestic violence to determine if damage to accommodation or poor behaviour was the result of abusive partners, or the tenant.

But Micah CEO Karyn Walsh doubted officers had the capacity, training or mechanisms in place to do that.

“Will we see more families with children evicted? That’s one of the questions I’m concerned about,’’ she said.

“The most vulnerable of tenants will be most at risk — people with mental health and drugs challenges, First Nations people and the disabled.

“(Former Premier Campbell) Newman’s government did not have the sort of bans we have heard about (in the new policy).’’

Housing Minister Sam O’Connor with Denise Martin-Worland who said she was very grateful for her government-provided accommodation in Corinda. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Serious offenders could face immediate eviction and be banned from accessing social homes for two years under the zero-tolerance blitz on assaults, drug manufacturing and dangerous conduct. The changes come into effect on July 1.

Q Shelter CEO Fiona Caniglia said once people were evicted from social housing there was a very high risk of them becoming homeless.

“In the current housing market it will be very difficult for someone eligible for social housing to find an alternative,’’ she said.

QCOSS Chief Executive Officer Aimee McVeigh said supportive housing was the key to driving down antisocial behaviour among some tenants, not evictions. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

“As significant effort and investment are going towards helping people find alternatives to rough sleeping in places like public parks, we need to ensure that homelessness is prevented through adequate, intensive support to sustain tenancies.’’

QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh also said her 65-year-old group was not consulted despite it representing thousands of social welfare organisations across the state.

“QCOSS has a long record of working with governments and it should have a seat at the table,’’ she said.

“We understand the severity of the housing crisis, but we need to do this from the point of view that everyone deserves a roof over their heads.’’

Ms McVeigh said supportive housing models, such as Common Ground, were the key to driving down anti-social behaviour because many social housing tenants battling severe addictions or mental illness needed help to remain in housing.

Originally published as Welfare groups not consulted on LNP three strikes social housing policy