Tasmania’s housing crisis has been well documented – but behind every shocking statistic is a human being, battling for the fundamental right to have a roof over their head.
Joelene has been waiting for a house for 3 years after she and her three children were subjected to an act of extreme family violence. Joeline and her son both required hospitalisation, rehabilitation and support.
She stayed on at the private rental where the domestic violence took place until August last year when the trauma of the attack left her feeling unsafe, forcing her to spend the past nine months in shelters, separated from her children who are in kinship care arrangements because of the accommodation situation.
She has applied for 160 private rentals over the past nine months, but only one has become available in that period, and it was too far away from support services, schools and social networks that Joeline and her children rely on.
Tasmanian Labor contacted Housing Minister Guy Barnett’s office on March the 20th March this year but so far there has been no response.
Joeline’s horrific story is similar to that of many other Tasmanians as the housing crisis continues to worsen and the Liberal government sits on its hands, making announcement after announcement, but not delivering.
The fact is that the Liberals have had a decade to fix this crisis and if they haven’t by now, they never will – and Tasmanians like Joeline and her children will continue to suffer.
A Labor Government will get more homes built by finalising the long-promised planning scheme and will ensure no more homes are lost to short-stay accommodation by placing an immediate pause on any new whole home permits.
Labor will also urgently repair the 215 social and government houses sitting vacant because they are untenantable, giving families a safe place to call home.
Jen Butler MP
Labor Member for Lyons