Are you serious?

A very serious matter has been brought to my attention. A tenant at her wit’s end contacted me with concerns about a tribunal decision. Since I started the blog, I have heard many shockers. This is a prime example of bad treatment, not only by landlords and property managers, but the justice system as well.

Rosalie’s landlord was stealing her electricity. He was tapping into it while building a new unit in the backyard area. Believe it or not, this is a big problem. I have heard complaints of this nature before. Everyone knows the cost of power has gone through the roof. Pensioners are rugging up because they can’t afford to pay their bills. The Grattan Institute has been doing some really interesting work on this subject. In their view, Aussies are paying too much for power. In the last five years, the average bill has risen by about 70%. This has been attributed to the Gillard’s carbon pricing reforms, when really it’s the price-gouging operators. So basically, it’s really important that tenants are charged fairly and accurately for their power consumption.

So Rosalie went to her property manager and complained. The property manager proposed that the bill be split with the landlord. She says to Rosalie, ‘Just give me the bills, I know how to work it out. I do it all the time’. Do they take tenants for fools? Rosalie knows her rights. The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) is very clear. In cases like this, the landlord is to take full financial responsibility. There is a very clear policy reason. It is unfair on tenants to pay when their exact power usage can’t be determined. With respect to rented premises, there must be a separate meter. Section 52 states:

A tenant is liable for all charges in respect of the supply or use of electricity, gas or oil in respect of the tenant's occupation of rented premises that are separately metered...

This is what Rosalie has to say:

They have no right asking to look at the bills but they do and I imagine tenants not fully knowing their rights just hand over their private bills. It’s bullying. I spoke to a lot of electrical technicians, AGL, sparkies, engineers, and REIV - they all said that there is no way that anyone can work the bills out or split them accurately, that’s why the owner has to take it over. I didn't hand over my bills; I just wanted the owner to comply with the Act from the day the connection was made.

The plot thickens. Rosalie decided to go to tribunal. The tribunal member tells Rosalie’s landlord to credit her bill. So the landlord has turned around and evicted her.

...when the member at VCAT also tried to work it out I nearly died. So the tribunal member tells the owner to credit me $500 for the first 3 months and then to credit me $100 per month after that until the construction is finished. But get this one - Now I’ve been given notice to vacate - 'owner to renovate' - which means that I won’t get to make good use of the credits. Now the owner is using my power to run a cement mixer because he's putting up the new fence. So now he’s just taking all the power he wants and I feel helpless to do anything about it.

It’s not like he’s living next door, he’s building a bloody house! I am seriously concerned about how VCAT treats tenants. Out of all the states and territories, Victoria is notorious for its treatment of tenants. The President of VCAT agrees that there is a problem. In a 2009 report, he says there are “serious deficiencies” in the accessibility of justice to the Victorian community, particularly tenants. He says:

In the residential tenancies jurisdiction, the tribunal has been very successful in delivering access to justice to landlords, but tenants are not exercising their rights to the same extent. About 95% of applications are initiated by landlords, most of them online. About 80% of those go ahead undefended without the tenant appearing at the hearing.

On our Facebook page, there are tenants, property managers, and some landlords. The tenants say the tribunal is biased in favour of landlords, the landlords say tenants have all the rights. Well, this is a very real and concrete example of unfair treatment. The law is not protecting tenants from exploitation. It’s not only the law; it’s also the way the tribunals and courts deal with matters.

There is this thing called the rule of law. Everyone is supposed to be treated equally. And I don’t think tenants are treated equally. So stay tuned, we will bring you more on this saga. We might even name and shame...

See more:

• Grattan Report, Fair Pricing for Power (2014)
• VCAT, President’s Review (2009)

 

 

Time for Strategy: Part 2

It's been a while since I wrote my first instalment on the eviction of public housing tenants from Sydney's harbour front - Millers Point, the Rocks, and Dawes Point. As promised, I am going to look at potential strategies and tactics residents can use in the resistance.

But first, here's an update on what's happened so far...

The NSW Liberal Government has been doing a pretty good job of screwing over elderly, the disabled, the working class, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged. The taskforce on Sydney's housing affordability crisis has not met in over a year. But is has gotten rid of strict heritage rules for property developers. We also know that the government feels comfortable cooking the books to hide the deadly effect of sell-off. There has been reports of hospitalisations, a heart attack, and at least one suicide. Some excellent reporting from Nicole Hasham, Sydney Morning Herald.

How do they sleep at night?
 
And also, the campaign to save Millers Point, et al...

The indomitable Barney Gardner has been front and centre of the campaign. There has been sustained media attention from mainstream and alternative media, mostly sympathetic. Social cleansing. Two-legged rats. Let's not forget that the residents took on the government in the 1970's, and won. The government is experiencing getting its message across. Good. There has been some really good fundraising initiatives, from t-shirts to family days. Great. You can't run a campaign without money. If you have coins to spare, please consider making a donation.

But, have they won..?

Nope. The government has pressured some residents to relocate, but many are refusing to move. We understand 102 households have accepted offers of relocation but a further 291 at Millers Point and the Rocks have not accepted the offers. The hard data is a little sobering, but we must remember this is a David and Goliath battle. The NSW Liberal Government has employed questionable tactics from the very start. It has been inundating residents with casual drop-ins, telephone calls, texts, letters, and interviewing residents with no lawyers, guardians, or support persons.

I could think of a few choice words to describe this behaviour, but I will restrain myself. Indecent. Immoral. Unethical. Unconscionable.

What else can be done..?

We need to dig in our heels and up the ante. Labour in opposition is opposed to the fire sale. The next NSW election is scheduled for next year, March.

Delay, delay, delay

It is difficult not to link the Millers Point sell-off with claims of large-scale and systemic corruption. Property developers have been banned from making political donations in New South Wales since 2009. We know now that members of the Liberal Party have been accepting bribes from property developers. There has been talk of bundles of cash. I wouldn't be surprised if the Independent Commission into Corruption (ICAC) is quietly investigating the sell-off. Eight MPs have stood down, including former Premier, Barry O'Farrell. In light of this scandal, the sale of Millers Point is hardly tenable. If I was Mike Baird, I would be seriously reconsidering this decision. If anyone has any information, please come forward.

Ramp up the resistance

We've got to ramp up the resistance. There comes a point where no matter the community outrage, the government forges ahead with its plans. I would be talking to trade unions to see how they can help. I would refuse to comply with eviction and other notices. I would be picketing inspections and auctions of the properties. I would be employing peaceful resistance tactics. I would be holding prayer vigils in parliamentary offices.

Above all else, tenants must stick together no matter what. I have seen Channel 10 interview homeless people  for their views on the sell-off. This is part and parcel of the NSW Liberal Government's strategy. Divide and conquer. As I've said before, I highly doubt the Liberal Government is going to reallocate funding to housing. Look at the evidence.

Media Coverage:

• Tim Barlass, 'Rats plague vulnerable elderly of Millers Point, UN told' (Sydney Morning Herald, 3 August 2014)
• Kate McClymont, 'ICAC told former police minister Mike Gallacher was 'orchestrating' illegal donations from Nathan Tinkler's property development company'  (Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 2013)
• Nicole Hasham, 'Heritage rules scrapped for Millers Point buyers' (Sydney Morning Herald, 12 August 2014)
• Nicole Hasham, 'Government downplayed death warning at Millers Point' (Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 2014) 

 

 

 

 

Housing through the eyes of disability

The other day I was reading stories of people with disabilities in their own words. It became obvious that special-needs individuals need a fairer go in housing. The stories resonate with me because a family friend is a full-time carer for her husband who is in a wheelchair. I have collated some quotes to provide a snapshot of the challenges people with disabilities face accessing appropriate housing.

Affordable housing

• “The mining boom took hold with accommodation shortages, and rental prices sky-rocketed. We had to find cheaper accommodation. I contacted Department of Housing to discover that we would probably qualify for Homeswest housing, but that we could not specify the suburb we needed to be in, and the waiting list was long. I explained my desperate situation but it didn’t seem to matter. I could not be transferred through to the man I had been recommended to contact. We didn’t really know what to do about Sam’s schooling, but we knew we could not live in a typical low socio-economic area as our sensitive boys would not cope. At the eleventh hour we found a private rental house in Canning Vale and jumped at it to avoid living in a tent in my in-laws backyard.”

Accessible housing

• “It has been a struggle to find accessible housing, and when I was evicted from my private rental 3 years ago, it took the Department of Housing two years to find me somewhere accessible. This resulted in great physical and mental stress. Again, I have NO family support at all, and have to do everything for myself - something that most able-bodied people can't do, even yourself.”

Appropriate housing

• “I’m forty nine and I live in regional WA. I used to work in a pretty physical job. I lost my leg when I contracted septicemia...When I left, I went home with no leg and no support at home. It was pretty hard. I had a wheelchair but I couldn’t get to the toilet because my house wasn’t cut out for it.”

Adequate housing 

• “That, compounded by my cerebral palsy, means that I am now on the DSP with my husband as my full-time carer. My marriage has suffered unbearable strain and we are now living in a caravan and basically broke because the only information you receive is through talking to someone else who has already been there and then there is the stress of dealing with uncaring government departments like Centrelink and Homeswest.”

Safety and security

• “I have a form of muscular dystrophy called Facioscapulohumeral. Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative condition. When I was diagnosed they told me a wheelchair would come one day. Over time my legs became weaker, it because more difficult to walk and climb stairs...There was a period of time when I couldn’t access my own home, I couldn’t get in my own front door because I could not lift my arm to reach the key in the lock. I had to get in through the side gate, and come through the back door. But I couldn’t put a padlock on it. I applied for some funding for alterations to my front door so I could come in and out. It took 12 months from the first phone call to the new door being fitted. While I didn’t have a lock on my back gate, I was vulnerable, and I had someone break into my house while I was home. It was very scary – being a single woman on my own and hearing someone coming into my home in my back window. It took me quite a while to sleep again after that.”

Losing the family home

• “My child can’t be supported at a specialist school because his IQ is too high and he can’t be supported in life because there is nothing out there for him. Even basic information early on and fewer waiting lists would have made a huge difference. Now he has chronic anxiety at the age of 11 and he has talked about suicide. He has to go to high school next year and I now have to get a job, we are going to lose our house if I am not working too. I don’t know how I will do this and the financial strain and the strain on my marriage is huge. I don’t know what to do, where to go and how to fix it.”

The housing market is tough enough. But it is especially tough for individuals with special needs. I really don't think the invisible hand of the market is going to magically deliver homes to individuals with necessary adjustments. Vulnerable and marginalised people shouldn't be living in tents or caravans because the state doesn't care about housing.

See more:

• Bolshy Divas - The other 100 stories
• Karen Soldatic and Terence Love, 'New forms of disability activism: who on earth are the Bolshy Divas?', Ramp Up, (11 July 2012)

House Trap - Funny story, serious message

The following is an original piece by T.M. Collins. It was first published by Quadrant in 1993. It says a lot about attitudes with respect to pets, privacy, and repairs. Very insightful.

Leaving the flat I noticed the Trebles hadn't taken in their milk. Must've had a wild night, I thought, reversing the car out. People of their age, in their seventies partaking in sexual activities that people half their age wouldn't do. The neighbours reckoned they had aids. I knew they did. Being the landlord I was able at times to enter the flats for routine checks. On one such occasion I found the aids, sexual aids in an old shoe box under their bed. When I found the box it was just protruding from under the bed. But it was none of my business what the tenants did as long as it was not illegal. The old pair also kept six mice as pets. Pets were against the rules but I let them have them for the company. I hoped someone would do the same for me if I was in a similar situation. Still couldn't believe it though - people of their age, behaving like young newlyweds. Driving off I soon forgot about my sexually active tenants. Getting to work was more important. Arriving home late I noticed a police car in Trev and Sheila Treble's driveway. Entering my home I wondered what might have happened. Before too long I saw two police officers walking up my pathway. They knocked at the door. I opened it. They stood there for a moment looking me over.   

"Mister Toby," asked the older of the two policemen. "Yes," I replied hooking my red suspenders over my shoulders and resetting my glasses on my nose. "Are you the landlord of these flats?" asked the sergeant. "Yes I am. What's the matter?" I asked. "The couple next door have been found dead. No suspicious circumstances. Left the gas on at the stove. We believe it was suicide. That has not been officially confirmed yet, but it is the most probable cause. We'd like to know if you heard anything or have any information that might help us." "Suicide. It couldn't have been. Not them. They wouldn't do such a thing," I answered in amazement. Maybe they died while they were having sex, I thought to myself. "No, I can't help you at all. Sorry," I continued. "Did you know they kept mice in there?" enquired the younger policeman. "Yes, I did. They were their pets," I answered. The younger policeman continued: "The man and woman were found prone in the act of lovemaking. What can you say about that?" "Nothing, I'm afraid," I said, embarrassed. "If you remember anything please contact us. Perhaps you might think why they would do such a thing. Thanks for the talk Mister Toby," said the sergeant. As they left I had a funny feeling there was more to this than what they had divulged.  

I had lunch and all the time wondered just why or how they could do such a thing during sex. Perhaps they were real crazies and I didn't know it. The lights were always left on at night, in fact all night. Putting my dishes away in the cupboard I imagined them being porn stars in their younger days. Just what would have Sheila looked like years back? There was a knock at the door. A funeral parlour attendant informed me they were moving the bodies. Next morning's paper reported the death of two elderly people, gassed to death in their flat. There was no mention of them having been in the middle of sexual relations when they died. The story stated they'd gone to bed and left on one of the knobs at their stove. It quoted the police having said it was a simple case of suicide. But why only one gas burner and not all six?  

I decided to visit the flat. Having no living relatives the Trebies had willed all their belongings to the local church. I'd received a call from the parish priest and he'd told me some parishioners would arrive early in the morning to clean out the flat. I wanted to check the place out before anything was removed. Plain curiosity, I suppose. Anyway I was the landlord. Inside I noticed nothing strange except four dead mice on the kitchen bench beside a loaf of bread. The Trebies released the mice at night. They believed the mice chased the cockroaches away. But there were six mice. Where were the other two? There was still a strong smell of gas in the flat as I walked through. I wasn't about to touch anything, with the police being involved and fingerprints and the two deaths. It was hard to accept that they'd killed themselves. Why would they do such a thing? Why? I decided to leave. Walking back into the kitchen I glanced across at the stove and was utterly shocked at what I saw. A mouse was running treadmill-like on one of the stove knobs. In front of my eyes the knob was slowly rotating, thereby turning the gas on. A week or so ago they'd asked me to fix a loose knob on the stove.

Time for Strategy: Part 1

If you have been hiding under a rock, you might have missed the announcement that the NSW Liberal Government's is selling high-value properties on Sydney's harbour front - Millers Point, the Rocks, and Dawes Point. Public housing tenants, many of whom are elderly and disabled, are being evicted from their homes.

The NSW Liberal Government says it is going to reinvest moneys into public housing. We call bullshit. We think this is the beginning of the end. It is going to sell off its housing stock until there is nothing left. This is consistent with its user pays philosophy. The Liberal Party does not believe in having a safety net. It thinks individuals should pay whatever the market dictates. On another level, the sell-off is about class warfare. If the NSW Government succeeds, the working class will be pushed out, and well-to-do professional types will take over. Property developers are hovering, and they have much to gain. This is a struggle important to all tenants, including public housing tenants. 

 

The tenants are fighting back. The resistance is mounting. To win, they must have a strategy for success. But first, we must first ascertain what strategies the NSW Liberal Government have in place.

1. Divide and conquer - I think they are relying on the strategy of 'divide and conquer'. The media has reported that evictees will have to endure  a cruel lucky dip process for their new homes. The power of these tenants lie in their collective force, and they should resist ploys that seek to divide them.

2. Campaign of misinformation - The NSW Liberal Government went about its task in a misleading and deceptive manner. Minister Pru Goward highlighted the issue of social housing subsidies. This gave the impression that taxpayers' money was paid to tenants. Completely untrue. As the NSW Brown Couch pointed out - tenants pay rent to NSW Housing, not the other way around. By and large, I think the media has backed the residents. A plethora of articles about the sale have been published. I don't include the Daily Telegraph, it's not really a newspaper anymore. More of a blow horn for vested interests. Residents have a powerful tool at their disposal. They can rely on the media to combat deliberate untruths and falsehoods. Social media will also play an important role. The residents have a Facebook page, and a blog.

3. Class envy - The NSW Liberal Government expertly manipulated Sydney's class envy. It played into the middle classes' ambivalence about social welfare, and the deservingness of welfare (well-being?) recipients. Some of the comments on social media have displayed a degree of anger and bitterness I have never seen. Make no mistake, this manoeuvre was deliberate. We think all Aussies should have access to affordable and appropriate housing irrespective of ability to pay. There's only one way to combat ignorance, and that's education. In a fair society, we help people who can't help themselves.

5. Framing - Minister Pru Goward tried to frame the sell-off as a fairness issue. When she made the announcement on 18 March 2014, she said, 'I cannot look taxpayers of NSW in the eye, I cannot look at other public housing tenants in the eye, and I cannot look at the 57,000 people on the waiting list in the eye when we preside over such an unfair distribution of subsidies.' I almost puked when I heard her say this. I would like to know how much political spin doctors were paid to sell this decision. See how she manipulates perceptions of truth when she refers to looking people in the eye. The residents don't think the decision was fair. There was no consultation, no procedural fairness. And really, it is their feelings that matter. It is their homes, and their lives.

4. Exhaustion - The government is well-resourced and formidable enemy. Last year, Holdfast Bay Council evicted 40 permanent residents from Brighton Caravan Park. Only recently, the residents announced that they were backing down, and calling a halt to their legal battle. They were worn out. They had suffered physically, emotionally, and financially. The government knows that many of the residents don't have the wherewithal to handle a protracted fight. They are counting on it. They know people need stability. The tenants are going to need, not only financial support, but emotional support as well.

The tenants must also make a realistic appraisal of their strengths and weaknesses. As I intimated above, many of the tenants are elderly and/or disabled and don't have fantastically strong coping skills. On the other hand, many of the tenants are of the working class and are used to fighting for their rights. Some of the tenants are retired members of unions like the CFMEU. The weakness can also be turned into a strength. The government won't look good if it forcibly evicts residents from their homes. I can see it now - 'Sorry Mr Police Officer, can I please grab my walking frame before you throw me in the paddy wagon!'. On the other hand, the residents of Millers Point form a strong collective. They are organised and they don't want to lose their homes. As this is close-knit community, they have a base to work from. Stronger together, as the saying goes.

It is my view that the residents have reasonable  to good prospects of success. In the next instalment, I will look at potential strategies and tactics the residents can use to protect their homes.

 

 

 

 

Millers Point: Letter to the Editor

This piece was first published by The Brown Couch, a blog written by the Tenants' Union of New South Wales. It is one of the best pieces of writing I have come across. I often struggle trying to describe the significance of homes, and community ties, to renters. This writer does so beautifully. Please read.

I sit here with tears in my eyes so I cannot pretend that I do not have a deeply personal and emotional connection to the proposed removal of the social housing residents of Millers point. I grew up in a terrace in Lower fort street and my mum still lives there as she has done so for 40 years, laboriously maintaining and restoring her home (largely herself). Even if she is forced to move away, that house will always be our family home and the fact that she doesn't own it does not make that connection or the emotional distress any less valid.

When I was growing up our terrace was, like many in the area, a Maritime workers owned boarding house populated by single old men who had worked on the wharves. These men had lived here through their working life and now into their retirement. Our men were "Jocky" and "Bluey". "Jocky" was a Scotsman who I loved dearly. We watched Sale of the Century each evening and shared chocolate biscuits. "Bluey" would say "respect your mother" if I gave her too much lip and would ball room dance with me in the kitchen at Christmas.

Mum assumed responsibility for our terrace when the former landlord moved on and it was always understood that these men would stay in their home with us as long as they wished. They were family to me and my childhood was infinitely enhanced by their presence and changed by their passing. We still refer to those rooms as Jocky's and Bluey's. Times changed as did the government department overseeing the property, but it was always our home. That is our story and if you scratch the surface in Miller's point there are a myriad of colourful, complex and moving stories to be told. There are of course such stories everywhere, the difference is here all our stories are entwined and many go back generations.

I do not live in Millers point and have not done so for many years. The announcement last week was not something which was completely unexpected. Indeed the community has been living in the shadow of the threat of this for years. A shadow of uncertainty which has pervaded everyday life and had a detrimental effect on many.

Never the less, reading the media over the last few days I have been profoundly moved. These are people I know. People who are part of the fabric of this community and hence my life. I see people in the articles who helped out at the canteen when I was a primary school on Observatory hill, people who brought my dog back when he escaped because they knew he was mine and where we lived, people who STILL stop me in the street and tell me I haven't changed since I was a baby. Living outside this community now I can fully appreciate how unique that experience is anywhere, let alone in Sydney today.

The letter which was handed to my mother last week said that attempts would be made to relocate her "close to family and friends".  I am my mothers family. I would welcome her anytime but she does not want to leave her home. Not because it is in a street has recently been deemed a desirable location (when 30 years ago most did not see its virtues) but because it is her HOME. Much as we love each other, My mum does she does not want to move. Her friends and support networks are in the Millers point community, her heart is there, her past  and her memories are there and she has always seen her future. As do many others with deep connections to one another and to the area. The human impact cannot be underestimated.

How many people know their neighbour these days? How many would give them the keys when they go away? They do in Millers Point. People here care about each other. They attend the funeral when a member of the community passes away. A good many came and celebrated my 1st AND my 21st birthdays in our backyard. They know the older members who need a helping hand or should be checked on if they haven't been seen on their daily walk. If an young community member is courting trouble, elders of the community will engage them or their parents and express concerns. Until the local corner store was sold as a private residence in the last few years the owners would run a tab if someone forgot money for milk or offer some of their home made falafel for you to try. Millers point is a community in the true sense of the word. Community does not mean people who live geographically close to one another. It is something which evolves over time if nurtured and it certainly cannot be manufactured or constructed.

New residents to the community have told me in the park that they are thrilled to have such a welcoming and supportive community. Indeed many have expressed that they have moved here because of this. Miller Point truly is, as the state heritage register described it, a ''living cultural landscape'' with ''an unusually high and rare degree of social significance''. I can tell you this as I was fortunate enough to grow up in this community, observe the changes over the last 30 years and now visit it regularly with an outside perspective.

Miller's Point is the type of community I think most people would want their children to grow up in and their parents to grow old in. A community spirit born of continuity and time. The Millers point community can, and has evolved. From the earliest public housing and Maritime workers accommodation, it has become a mix of corporate real estate, private and social housing. My understanding is that this integrated model is now widely recommended to prevent social housing area becoming socially depressed.

Surely the largely long term and often elderly residents should be treated with more compassion and respect than is being shown. Equally a community without youth has no future and this should also be considered. The significant economic benefits of true community, and the burden this removes from social resources should be supported, allowing our city to become more viable, integrated and community minded. Millers Point is an integrated social success. It should be recognised, celebrated and not destroyed.

 

 

NT Government evicting indigenous people

For months, Michael and his family have been fighting with NT Housing. Michael and his family have lived in the same house in Alice Springs for over twenty years. Michael is also a full-time carer for Steven, a young indigenous man with Down Syndrome. At first, NT Housing tried to evict Michael and his family on somewhat dubious grounds. All notices to evict have now been withdrawn. 

 

But NT Housing hasn't given up. Now they are trying to force Michael and co into a tiny 3 bedroom place. As you can see, the property is totally under-utilised by Michael and his family.

 

Bad Landlord is wise to NT Housing tricks. Back in March, Michael requested that Shane, his daughter's boyfriend, be added to the tenancy. NT Housing declined the request. It said as follows:

All applications are assessed against the current public housing eligibility criteria to determine an applicant's need for public housing. There is a strict eligibility criteria to access public housing, to ensure those most in need are housed.

The thing is Shane is actually homeless. NT Housing isn't worried about housing people, something else is going on here. Who could be more in need than someone who is homeless?

 

 

On the same day, NT Housing wrote to Michael and advised he was not entitled to a 4 bedroom house. It said as follows:

It has come to the attention of the Department of Housing that your household size has reduced, which means you are occupying a dwelling above your correct housing entitlement...Should you refuse to comply with the request to relocate to a more appropriately sized dwelling or decline, without reasonable grounds, to accept the one (1) offer of a dwelling to which you are entitled, the Department of Housing may not renew your tenancy agreement and you may be issued with a notice to vacate.

NT Housing has declined Michael's request for an additional occupant to force Michael and his family out of their home. This is what they do. They offer tenants 'absolute dumps' and when they refuse, they have a reason to evict. NT Housing have not given up on evicting Michael and his family, they are employing another strategy. NT Housing have said, they want to 'effectively utilise our stock'. I don't think so.

 

 

Last year, the ABC was reporting on the evictions of indigenous families. These evictions are taking place because the NT Government wants to privatise housing.

Indigenous and social welfare advocates have raised concerns about an increase in public housing evictions in Alice Springs, which could leave many people homeless. The Northern Territory Government has been accused of fast-tracking evictions as part of a policy to sell off public housing stock to raise revenue...The Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) is concerned that a ‘hardline’ approach is being taken to public housing tenants, in order to free up homes to sell.

I am concerned about the impact of this policy on indigenous families. I am told many real estate agencies don't rent to indigenous families, mixed or otherwise. If indigenous families cannot obtain housing in the public system, or in the private sector, where are they supposed to live? On the streets?

 

NT Housing is trying to make living in public housing so unbearable that being homeless is a preferable alternative. One thing it does is regularly invade the privacy of its tenants. NT Housing inspects every chance it gets trying to find reasons to evict people. On Thursday, Michael had yet another inspection. Michael got his camera out and started filming. If you are a public housing tenant in the Northern Territory, my advice would be to videotape any dealings with NT Housing.

 

 

Another thing NT Housing does is to hand-deliver notices. In most states and territories, this practice is prohibited in the private sector because it can be used to harass and intimidate tenants. The day after the inspection, public housing safety officers turned up at Michael's doorstep and delivered a notice from NT Housing. Michael received a notice directing him not to engage in conduct that creates 'alarm, fear or annoyance' in the vicinity of his home. NT Housing's cited reason was that Michael 'confrontational and intimidating whilst videotaping' when the inspection took place. Michael is anything but aggressive. I have talked to him many times. He is angry and upset about the way his family is being treated by NT Housing. And they have been treated atrociously. NT Housing is trying to build a case on unsubstantiated allegations. They don't like being challenged, and they don't like being held accountable.

 

 

Dealing with bureaucrats can be very difficult for marginalised and disadvantaged individuals. Tenants targeted by NT Housing have two choices - fight or end up on the streets. Michael thinks NT Housing is 'cruel-spirited' and 'vindictive'. I am inclined to agree. Tenants like Michael that challenge NT Housing are in its sights. As Michael says, it's like pushing a boulder up a hill.

 

 

I am beyond mad. This is a complete abuse of power. Shame on you NT Housing. It is not okay to pick on disabled people, and it is not okay to pick on indigenous people. And NT Housing, we are watching you very carefully.

 

• Matt O’Neil, Northern Territory's hardline eviction policy raises concerns, 23 November 2013 
• ABC News, Public housing tenants evicted 'without reasons', 25 October 2013