Community organisations lash out at CLP’s proposed public housing reforms

Community organisations have hit out at the government’s plan to crack down on problem tenants in public housing, arguing evictions are not a fix for anti-social behaviour.

Community organisations have hit out at the government’s plan to crack down on problem tenants in public housing, arguing evictions are not a fix for anti-social behaviour.

Last week the CLP flagged reforms to strengthen policy dealing with anti-social behaviour, eviction and debt management in public housing.

Darwin Community Legal Service said the reform agenda targeted the community’s most disadvantaged, and would disproportionately impact Aboriginal Territorians.

DCLS principal lawyer Melisa Coveney.

“These proposed reforms represent a fundamental shift away from housing as a human right toward housing as a conditional privilege,” DCLS principal lawyer Melisa Coveney said.

“We are deeply concerned about the long-term consequences, particularly for Aboriginal communities, people exiting prison, and those already facing systemic barriers to safe and secure housing.

“Punitive measures will not solve the complex social and economic issues underpinning housing need.”

The legal service called on the government to instead focus on housing issues including chronic housing shortages, overcrowding, and substandard maintenance.”

Warren Williams, Central Land Council chair

The Central Land Council also criticised the “draconian” measures.

Chair Warren Williams said remote rents had gone up steeply over the past two years, and “squeezing rent arrears from empty bank accounts” would lead to more Aboriginal people in jail or on the streets.

He also pointed to the Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) High Court case, in which residents of public housing in the remote community successfully proved the NT government was liable for distress caused by its failure to carry out repairs.

“With the highest levels of overcrowding and homelessness in the country the Territory can ill afford more evictions and draconian tenancy policies,” he said.

NT Housing Minister Steve Edgington. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Housing Minister Steve Edgington said eviction was “a last resort”, but allowing tenants’ anti-social behaviour to continue without consequences was not fair to the community, nor the hundreds on the public housing waiting list.

“The CLP government is fully aware that anti-social behaviour and serious incidents of crime in public housing have risen to an unacceptable level, as has the accumulated rental arrears debt of more than $39m,” he said.

Mr Edgington said those trying to pay rent would not be evicted, but gave examples of tenants put on Centrelink payments plans who then cancelled the payment days later.

Mr Edgington said he would seek further conversations with the commonwealth after the federal election to “tighten” the way public housing rental payments were made, such as preventing individuals from stopping automatic payments being deducted from their welfare income.