Taxpayers’ $2m bill to hire security guards to protect Housing Trust staff from ‘unprecedented’ spike in abusive tenants

Security guards have been hired to protect public housing staff to combat a sharp escalation in abuse or anti-social behaviour including death threats from troublemaker renters.

Security guards have been stationed at Housing SA offices across the state. Picture: supplied

Security guards have been hired to protect public housing staff after a sharp escalation in abuse, including death threats, or anti-social behaviour from troublemaker renters.

In what insiders described as “unprecedented”, taxpayers will spend more than $2m beefing-up protection at SA Housing Trust’s 17 offices statewide.

Acting as a visible deterrent during business hours, authorities hope guards will calm rising levels of abuse at, and in some cases death threats to, public servants from aggressive tenants or clients. Police have been called in extreme cases.

Ministers said it was “completely unacceptable for anyone to intimidate, threaten or attack the staff who are there to help people”.

Security guards have been stationed at Housing SA offices across the state. Guards seen at Croydon. Picture: supplied

Security stands guard at Port Adelaide. Picture: supplied

The opposition condemned attacks on innocent staff amid mounting calls for harsher consequences for culprits.

The revelations come as the state government launches a crackdown on bad tenants living in the more than 33,000 public homes amid an acute housing shortage crisis.

Guards have been posted since Christmas at the Trust’s seven metropolitan offices in the CBD, Croydon Park, Elizabeth, Marion, Modbury, Noarlunga, Port Adelaide and Salisbury.

Security has stepped up also at regional offices located in Berri, Ceduna, Coober Pedy, Mt Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie and Whyalla.

Sources described problems “getting worse” as offices experience “weekly incidents”.

“It is unprecedented … but some people feel they’re entitled to a house,” one insider said.

“Staff are copping it unfairly, hearing sob stories from tenants or clients – those wanting a house – about how they are going to be homeless.

“They act entitled – there are no homes available while the repair system is dire.

“Many have valid reasons for their frustrations but some don’t.”

They said conflicting eviction decisions from South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, “exacerbates poor expectations and bad behaviour” as angry tenants become emboldened.

Opposition spokesman Michelle Lensink reiterated her calls for former evicted tenants to be required to pay back damage bills before they are considered for a new application.

“It is disappointing that since anti-social behaviour dropped under the Marshall government, it has now increased so dramatically that security staff are needed to provide a safer environment for staff,” she said.

“There can be no tolerance for aggressive and abusive behaviour and this must include consequences for tenant clients.”

Housing Minister Nick Champion, who is grappling with a catalogue of failures with an almost $1bn private maintenance contract, said guards “helps deter anti-social behaviour and de-escalate situations”.

“Tenants, the community and staff all deserve to be safe,” he said.

“The state government has an obligation to provide a safe working environment.

“As a result, (we have) stationed security guards at SA Housing Trust offices permanently during work hours to ensure the safety of the staff and the community.”

Originally published as Taxpayers’ $2m bill to hire security guards to protect Housing Trust staff from ‘unprecedented’ spike in abusive tenants