UTAS student says being asked to find new accommodation during a housing crisis is unfair

Students have protested the University of Tasmania’s “unfair” accommodation policy.

UTAS protest at Parliament Lawns after students living in residential accommodation were advised first-year students and people from regional areas would be prioritised for the university’s 1100 Hobart rooms. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

UNIVERSITY of Tasmania students say they are preparing to leave the state after Christmas if they are unable to find accommodation.

At Parliament Lawns today, Hobart City Councillor Holly Ewin led a rally of about 40 students angry at the University of Tasmania’s decision to force students to find alternative accommodation within a month.

“We want UTAS to not kick out 1000 students on to a rental market that doesn’t exist,” Cr Ewin said.

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Students living in residential accommodation were last week advised first-year students and people from regional areas would be prioritised for the university’s 1100 Hobart rooms.

UTAS student Fluer Mealor said she was shocked when she received the email advising her to look for another place to live.

“I am in an absolute panic,” she said.

“I don’t have family here or anything so I’m having to look at leaving Tasmania if I don’t find anything.”

Fellow student Nicole Wood moved to Tasmania earlier this year to start her honours and has a scholarship but is now considering if she will continue her PhD in Hobart.

“Asking students to find accommodation during a housing crisis within a month is unfair

“We need clarification because when were asked to reapply six months ago we were told verbally that we would be given preference over our apartments.”

University communications director Jason Purdie last week said the institution had been hit by the tight rental market and the wish of more students to stay in residential accommodation.

Hobart has a vacancy rate of 0.7 per cent.