Sharing the spoils in a divided state

Housing, children and older Tasmanians are top priorities, says Mat Rowell

THE Tasmanian election has been run and won by a returning Liberal government led by Premier Will Hodgman.

Leaving aside dissection of the result, which will be undertaken by pundits and the losing parties’ hierarchies, the question to be asked is: Where does Tasmania stand in 2018?

From Relationships Australia Tasmania’s perspective, there are three areas that must now be addressed: HOUSING affordability; VULNERABLE children; and VULNERABLE older Tasmanians.

The Government, like the opposition parties, made significant funding commitments.

Relationships Australia Tasmania acknowledges the support of the Government in relation to our partner program, the SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Schools Program, providing $1 million over the next four years.

The mental health of our community relates directly to the three policy areas above.

Housing affordability in Hobart, in particular, is a problem which can be sheeted home to successive governments. Stories in the Mercury have highlighted this with the Glenorchy Showgrounds overflowing with families and children in caravans and tents who cannot find affordable rental accommodation.

Is it Airbnb? Is it seachangers from interstate? Is it international students occupying properties to attend the University of Tasmania statewide? Perhaps it’s a combination of all three, and other factors, like good economic times buoying property values.

Unfortunately the last time government did anything serious in this space was decades ago and we ended up with broadacre estates in the South and North of the state, and their ongoing history and reality does not reflect well for policy-makers of the time.

We need housing infill, within established suburbs, with easy access to schools and transport infrastructure.

What is clear in our wonderful state, acknowledged by nearly everyone, is that there are “two Tasmanias” at present and have been for some time.

The economy is strong, there are cranes in the sky all over Hobart, and people have jobs, or rather the people who have jobs have jobs, with arguments aplenty about fulltime versus part-time jobs and the casualisation of work.

Hobart’s high rents are a consequence of the good times as they exist for a majority of the population. But there are significant numbers of people who are not living the good life. Housing affordability will not be fixed overnight because there is no silver bullet. Tomorrow’s Housing Summit, called by the Premier, is at least a start.

The Government also made a commitment, long before the election, of $25 million for the child protection and out-of-home-care systems.

I am not the first to say it, but with more than 1000 children in out-of-home care, that number is just too high per capita.

We have seen tripartisan support for the Government’s Family Violence Package, with leadership continuing from the Premier and heads of agencies. Recognising family violence as an issue across health, justice, education and police is a groundbreaking approach.

This is the approach we believe needs to be used to deal with our vulnerable children. Without this type of political priority, the system will continue to be reformed around the edges, and we know we need all agencies of government and community to work together with the common goal of protecting our children from harm.

I urge the Government to sign up the National Redress Scheme for people who were abused in state institutions. And we must ensure the next cohort of kids is never endangered in the same way.

The Government’s policy of extending foster care and out of home care from 18 to 21 years old should be applauded. We know children in care are the most vulnerable in our community — they have already suffered emotional, physical, sexual and economic abuse and neglect to end up there. They must be protected and nurtured.

Relationships Australia Tasmania’s budget submission highlighted the need for increasing services to overcome elder abuse.

We are seeing great work

by organisations like Legal Aid, Advocacy Tasmania and COTA, but the Government needs to do more with greater resources for this emerging and increasing issue. Once the abuse or risk or conflict has been identified, there is nowhere to send people for support and resolution.

Our elderly, who worked for and built our state, must have their rights protected. We all know stories where sons and daughters living interstate sell the family home and consign their parent(s) to care.

Every day, there are more stories of our elderly being treated badly. Thankfully to date, we have not seen the horror stories interstate with deaths in homes and other inappropriate practices.

We celebrate Neighbour Day on March 25. The principal aim is to build better relationships with the people who live around us and in our communities. The theme this year is: The importance of a supportive neighbourhood for children and young people.

Or to slightly alter the African proverb, “It takes a neighbourhood to raise a child.”

We need to look after our younger Tasmanians. We need to nurture them, educate and set them on a pathway to engagement and employment, because they are our future.

But we must also care for and treasure our elder Tasmanians. They deserve our support for what they have done for us, and how they provide us with examples of what to do, and perhaps what not to do, as well as our shared history.

I have confidence in the future of Tasmania, but we need to work together to ensure our community members who are struggling are offered a helping hand and the chance to enjoy the success of the state. Mat Rowell is chief executive of Relationships Australia Tasmania.

There are significant numbers of people not living the good life. Housing affordability will not be fixed overnight