WILL’S HOME CRISIS FIX
ROGER Jaensch will be given the responsibility to fix Hobart’s housing crisis as part of a Cabinet reshuffle today.
The Braddon MP will become re-elected Premier Will Hodgman’s first Housing Minister — tasked with tackling the housing shortage plaguing Hobart.
Elise Archer will also be named Attorney-General by the Premier today.
ROGER Jaensch will be given the responsibility to fix Hobart’s housing crisis, with the issue to go straight to Cabinet.
Premier Will Hodgman will today announce a Cabinet reshuffle after the Liberals retained government at the state election earlier this month.
After copping significant pressure to act on the homeless crisis engulfing southern Tasmania — with people forced to live in tents at the Hobart Showground — the Mercury understands Mr Jaensch will become the state’s Housing Minister in the reshuffle.
The Braddon MP, who spent the past four years on the Government backbench, will become the state’s first Housing Minister since Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor filled the role in the Labor-Green government from 2010-14.
The Government has already announced it would get more than 100 new affordable homes and crisis beds on line before June.
The Mercury also understands Elise Archer will add Attorney-General to her bow, alongside the Justice and Corrections portfolios.
Mr Hodgman is expected to keep Tourism and take on a new portfolio of Trade.
Bass MP Sarah Courtney is also expected to pick up a ministry after retaining her seat.
But Hobart Lord Mayor and Denison recruit Sue Hickey may have to settle for a position on the backbench rather than in Cabinet as she enters state politics.
Alderman Hickey can technically keep her position as Lord Mayor in addition to her one in State Parliament for 12 months.
Rene Hidding, Police and Infrastructure Minister for the past four years, has said he wants to be Speaker, which could leave Mark Shelton out in the cold.
The decision to create a ministry to tackle the housing crisis comes as conditions for for those camping at the Hobart Showground continue to worsen, with police arresting a man at the tent city site yesterday.
The man, who is not believed to be living at the show- grounds site, was arrested yesterday afternoon for allegedly stealing from caravans.
Police said the 42-year-old man from Goodwood was in custody “assisting police with their inquiries”.
The arrest comes as calls increase for the Government to provide after-hours security and social workers for the families forced to live at the site as a result of Hobart’s rental crisis.
Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania chief executive Scott Gadd, who is overseeing the tent city, says the situation is likely to worsen as the winter weather sets in.
He said the area could be dangerous in bad weather after a number of tents collapsed during high winds on Sunday.
“The fact is it’s not a safe place to be. The winds can be quite dangerous,” Mr Gadd said.
“I’d like to see a solution soon because winter is not the time to be at the Showgrounds.
“It can’t go on forever, the safety factor means that as the weather turns I’ll probably have to close the site.”
Mr Gadd said some social workers were at the site yester-
I’d like to see a solution soon because winter is not the time to be at the Showgrounds. It can’t go on forever — SCOTT GADD
day morning but more were needed, particularly after hours.
“We really need somewhere else that’s secure, safe, warm and is connected to services that we can refer people to,” Mr Gadd said.
Rowena Worbey and her dog Jagger have been living at the Showground for a month.
Ms Worbey, a disability pensioner, said she felt like she had run out of options.
“The reason we’re here is because we’re sick of couchsurfing, being in people’s homes all the time, you feel like a burden,” she said.
Labor’s housing spokesman Josh Willie said the showground’s tent city was a visible example of policy failure.
Mr Willie again called for the Government to provide assistance in the form of afterhours security and social workers to help transition peo- ple into more suitable housing.
“People here are not having their basic needs met. They don’t feel safe, and they don’t have shelter,” Mr Willie said.
“The Government has been warned and this crisis has happened on their watch, now they are missing in action.”
A government spokeswoman said it was “working hard with housing groups to address housing needs for Tasmanians” and a range of supported accommodation was coming online “in coming months”.
The reason we’re here is because we’re sick of couchsurfing, being in people’s homes all the time, you feel like a burden. — ROWENA WORBEY