When new crisis units for Tassie women fleeing DV will open
A new Tasmanian crisis accommodation complex will double the capacity of a not-for-profit to cater to vulnerable women and children, with current wait times of up to six or seven weeks.
Tasmania
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The construction of a new 15-unit, $5.9m crisis accommodation complex is running two months ahead of schedule.
Magnolia Place (i.e. Launceston Women’s Shelter) chief operating officer Amanda Murphy said the complex, construction of which will be completed in September, ahead of its first intake of residents by the end of 2022, would allow her organisation to cater for 80 per cent of demand.
She said Magnolia Place receives 50 requests per month for accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence, but currently only has 14 units available across three locations.
“Doubling our capacity is unbelievable,” she said.
Domestic violence, however, is “never ending and hasn’t changed in a long time, it’s something we find frustrating,” she said.
There is currently a six to seven week waitlist for Magnolia Place accommodation, Ms Murphy said.
The 15 units will consist of a mixture of one, two- and three-bedroom configurations.
Construction began in October last year thanks to $4m of state government funding and $1.9m of federal funding.
They are funded to host families fleeing domestic violence for up to 12 weeks.
“Sometimes it is needed for longer,” Ms Murphy said.
Commercial builder Beardwood Pty Ltd owner Luke Beardwood said construction of the complex has created eight direct jobs and a further 40–50 indirect, subcontractor jobs.
‘That’s bulls--t’: Wilkie’s impassioned words on housing crisis
Independent Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie had some choice words to say at a press conference on Wednesday when asked about pressing issues close to home.
Mr Wilkie, who comfortably held his seat at the last federal election, was asked by the media to name some areas he cared most about approaching the federal election.
“When I look more broadly at my priorities at the election, and importantly after the election, I see two big priorities in Canberra,” he said.
“One is obviously finally doing something about climate change and the other one is cleaning up the corruption in Canberra, starting with an anti-corruption body, donation law reform and so on.”
But Mr Wilkie said he had picked up on more “pressing issues” within his electorate.
“The fact that there are still thousands of people waiting on the public housing list, that there are thousands of people couch surfing, sleeping in the basement, in the bathroom of a friends’ house, hundreds of people sleeping rough on the street in the 13th biggest economy in the world, I mean frankly, that’s bulls**t,” he said.
“And I’ll use that word: it’s bulls**t.
“In one of the richest countries in the world, we have homeless starving people waiting years for essential surgery.”
Mr Wilkie also rallied for a higher level of care at the Royal Hobart Hospital, shorter medical operation waitlists, and reduced ramping and emergency department wait times.
On a state government level, he hoped more could be done to combat traffic congestion.
White ready for tight federal race after quitting state parliament
Former Labor leader Rebecca white has quit state parliament to focus on her tilt at the seat of Lyons in the upcoming federal election.
Do not leave kids in cars, advocacy group warns
With sweltering weather hitting Tasmania, the RACT is reminding people of the dangers kids stuck in cars face. Here’s top tips to reduce the risk of accidentally leaving kids in hot cars.