New Housing Minister Roger Jaensch has no plans to visit ‘tent city’ at Hobart Showground

TASMANIA’S new Housing Minister has not visited the tent city at the Hobart Showground and has no plans to do so.

Housing Minister Roger Jaensch speaks about Hobart's housing crisis. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

TASMANIA’S new Housing Minister has not visited the tent city at the Hobart Showground and has no plans to do so — despite an open invitation from Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania boss Scott Gadd.

Housing Minister Roger Jaensch confirmed he has not visited the families sheltering at the site since being sworn in a week ago.

“I haven’t been out to the showgrounds, but I’ve got to tell you there’s people in many parts of greater Hobart and many parts of Tasmania who are under housing stress,” Mr Jaensch said.

When asked if he intended to visit the Glenorchy site, Mr Jaensch said: “I’ve not got a visit scheduled.”

“I’m going to listen to various people who can tell me about what the situations are that we’re facing, I have meetings with several stakeholders and advocates in my office and their offices over the next little while.”

RAST chief executive Scott Gadd has extended an invitation to Mr Jaensch to visit, and said he was disappointed to hear the minister had no plans to drop by.

MORE: SHUTDOWN FEARS AS TENT CITY GROWS

Mr Gadd said numbers at the showgrounds had increased over the past couple of weeks, with about 10 groups seeking shelter there including two large working families.

Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania chief Scott Gadd checks on homeless people living in tents at the Hobart Showground in Glenorchy. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Mr Gadd said he believed the two families would not qualify for any of the emergency solutions being offered by the State Government because they had incomes.

“It’s very disappointing,” Mr Gadd said.

“(Mr Jaensch) said when he was announced (as minister) that he wanted to be fully briefed.

MORE: JAENSCH TO TACKLE HOUSING CRISIS

“If he’s going to be fully briefed, he needs more than what he’s being told by the bureaucrats.

“It would be useful for him to get an appreciation of where the gaps are in the current policy decisions. What we’ve got on the table at the moment isn’t going to solve the whole problem.”

Labor MLC Sarah Lovell said the Government was yet to come up with a solution that would help working families living in tents at the showgrounds, in sheds in people’s backyards or couch surfing.

“I can only imagine how those families are feeling at the showground to know that the minister is not taking their plight seriously enough to even go out there and speak with them face to face,” she said.

On Saturday, the Government announced a $500,000 emergency package to help some Tasmanians into accommodation before winter — but people need to qualify for the assistance.

MORE: RENTING ROOMS FOR THE HOMELESS

Housing Connect workers have been visiting the showgrounds.

If you need help with housing, contact Housing Connect on 1800 800 588.