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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-04-02 Daily Xml
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Public Housing

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:08): A supplementary question: is the minister aware that the Hon. Bob Sneath, when he was chair of the Statutory Authorities Review Committee, more than a dozen years ago, advocated along these policy lines and, sadly, the previous government refused to adopt them?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for his question. I appreciate the advice that he is providing to the chamber on this matter. I would also have to say that, in reality, while I think in the media this may have been portrayed as being tough on tenants, in fact it is really just enforcing the existing contract that people sign when they enter into Housing Trust tenancies and which I think meets the community standard. We ask our tenants to pay their rent, not commit crimes and keep the property in reasonable condition. I think that is what everybody thinks is fair and reasonable.

I can actually advise, however, that the former minister for social housing in 2013, in some documents that I have received, has made comments to similar effect that the policy that was implemented at that time was about respecting those tenants who do the right thing and their neighbours, while sending a message that disruptive and inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.

My understanding from having listened to former ministers in the previous administration is that they thought they had a three strikes policy, whereas in fact it could be multiple strikes because it reset every six months, which meant that people could have multiple complaints over them over a period of years and they would still retain their tenancy. So we are really trying to clarify the rules. Quite frankly, I don't think it is inappropriate that, if somebody is cooking drugs in their home, they be evicted from their Housing Trust property, and I think that that is what the community expects.

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