Waiting list drop debate
TASMANIA’S ballooning public-housing waiting list has been slashed by 20 per cent, with hundreds of applicants removed following a review of their circumstances.
The latest Department of Health and Human Services performance data shows there were 3821 people on the publichousing waiting list in March — an increase of about 1000 in two years.
But the list has been re- duced to 3057 at July 31 following a State Government review of all housing applications more than six months old.
Within the eight-week review period, Housing Connect sent 2756 letters asking applicants to update their registration.
A total of 1657 applicants contacted the review team and either had their applications resubmitted with or without change, or withdrawn because they no longer needed public housing.
Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma said the review of the list was usual practice and a process which had taken place under the former government.
“Applicants are contacted by SMS, letter or email, and recontacted again over a period of four weeks if they do not respond. If an application is closed because of a lack of response, people can be reinstated if they still have a housing need,” she said.
Colony 47 chief executive Danny Sutton said the review was needed to ensure the list accurately reflected public housing need.
“The intention is to have a more active process in managing the waiting list which is pretty important ... because the waiting list itself is an indicator of demand,” he said.
Labor human services spokesman Josh Willie said the list had shortened because people had given up or been forced into private rentals.
“Labor strongly hopes the Liberals are not putting political convenience ahead of housing vulnerable people. Strong safeguards are required to ensure that people are not removed from the waiting list prematurely,” Mr Willie said.
The latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data on public housing showed more than one in 10 Tasmanian public and community housing properties are underutilised.