Empty hostel beds lay idle
A HUONVILLE hostel operator’s offer to the State Government to make use of his vacant 10-bedroom facility has fallen on deaf ears, as homeless people sheltering at the Hobart Showground are inundated by wild weather.
David Sinclair has contacted Housing Tasmania, Housing Connect, Premier Will Hodgman’s office and Housing Minister Roger Jaensch’s office repeatedly over the past two months to offer the Little Devil Backpackers hostel to help solve the housing crisis.
The hostel has been fully fitted out with beds, linen, cut- lery, computers, Wi-Fi, communal kitchen and laundry, and has been used to house seasonal fruit pickers but will be left vacant from this weekend.
Mr Sinclair said Colony 47 had used the site in the past for crisis accommodation.
He said he would understand if the Government had investigated his offer and deemed the hostel unsuitable, but he was frustrated by the lack of a response.
“The question I would like to ask Mr Jaensch and Mr Hodgman is, if the property was suitable for crisis accommodation in 2010, 2011 and 2012, why isn’t it suitable now?
“It’s just disappointing, both the bureaucracy and the Government talk the talk but it would be nice if they could walk the walk in terms of solving the housing crisis.
“It’s just a shame for it to go to waste when people are in need.”
Mr Sinclair is asking for $350,000 for the contents in
the hostel and said the property would cost the Government $1650 in rent per month.
Labor housing spokesman Josh Willie said the least Mr Jaensch could do was respond.
“Time and time again community members are coming forward with proposals to solve the housing crisis,” Mr Willie said.
“There is a consistent pattern of behaviour where Minister Roger Jaensch and the Liberals refuse to engage.
“Roger Jaensch has isolated himself from people trying to offer solutions to help homeless Tasmanians.”
A Government spokesman said a number of suggestions had been made by members of the public to address the housing shortage, and Colony 47 was assessing Mr Sinclair’s hostel.
Mr Sinclair said that was the first he had heard that there was any assessment being undertaken.
The emergency accommodation offer comes as Royal Agricultural Society of Tas- mania chief executive Scott Gadd says more homeless people are living at the Glenorchy showgrounds site than ever.
People were moved inside yesterday after their tents and blankets were inundated by rain, but Mr Gadd said the buildings were not suitable for people to live in.
“The site is soaked, if the wind picks up, nothing is going to stay dry,” he said.
“We’ve had some donations of blankets and a couple of tents but these people need houses.”
Mr Gadd said there were 16 people struggling with homelessness at the showgrounds — the most since he first pleaded for help in February.