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Shelter TAS - Housing and Homelessness Peak
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Shelter TAS eNews
Wednesday 18th May 2022

A Message from Shelter Tas CEO

Federal Election still neglecting renters
Many Tasmanian households – over 40 000 – pay rent for their homes, but with just 3 days to go, the Federal Election campaigns have offered very little to renters who are paying exorbitant prices. Almost nothing has been announced to bring in new supply for those who need an affordable home to rent. The major parties’ announcements have been dominated by home ownership schemes, with deafening silence on renters.
Yet, we know from the Rental Affordability Index that Hobart is the least affordable capital city for renters on the standard measure of rent-to-income, and the rest of the State is likewise the least affordable nationally. Last month Anglicare's Rental Affordability Snapshot showed that people on low incomes in our State have little hope of securing affordable homes in the private rental market. Only 2 properties statewide were affordable for a single person receiving Jobseeker.

Fixing the housing crisis in Tasmania – and nationally – requires action on the rental crisis. Local workers and families need secure affordable and appropriate homes, but too many Tasmanian homes are increasingly made available to visitors and tourists at the expense of renters. Both social housing and the private rental market have a part to play, and Federal policies and funding need to address this crisis. 
 
Whoever is elected as the new Federal Government needs to help end Tasmania’s housing crisis. All Tasmanians – renters, mortgage holders and owners – need a safe and affordable home to live in. Better conditions for renters will help to prevent homelessness, limit the risk of virus transmission in overcrowded dwellings, and reduce the stress on renting families and homelessness services. 

With just a few days to go until the Federal Election, Shelter Tas still hopes to see all parties commit to better policies and funding for renters.

Our national colleagues have also been busy advocating for better housing outcomes this election, be sure to visit the CHIA website for more information, and the National Shelter Federal Election Checklist, which compares responses to National Shelter's 2022 policy platform as well as a summary of the various housing policies and programs announced by the major parties during the campaign.

Pattie Chugg
Shelter Tas CEO. 
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Federal Election 2022

Shelter Tas' Key Election Asks

The Federal Election is almost here, and together with aligned national organisations, Shelter Tas is calling for:
  • A National Housing Strategy and a National First People’s Housing Strategy
  • A target of social housing to be 10% of all housing and national construction of at least 25,000 new social and affordable homes per annum to meet the target
  • 20% increase and funding certainty for Specialist Homelessness Services
  • National 'build to rent to buy' program for lower-income households
  • National climate resilience fund to support retrofitting or renewal of poorly performing/located social housing, particularly managed by community housing organisations
  • Increasing the Commonwealth Rental Assistance rate by 50%
  • National rental law reform to improve security, affordability and safety in the rental market
  • Delivering a plan to end homelessness by 2035.  

For more details on the election priorities from our national colleagues, click on the document links from the following organisations:
National Shelter 
Community Housing Industry Association
Everybody's Home Campaign

National Shelter Election Forum

National Shelter held a Federal Election Housing Forum on Friday 6 May. The forum was well attended and expertly facilitated by Peter Mares, with a panel made up of:
  • Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Senator for NSW, Greens spokesperson for housing
  • Andrew Wilkie MP, Member for Clark (Independent)
  • Rebecca Sharkie MP, Member for Mayo (Independent)
  • Scott Davies, Chief of Staff Jason Clare MP

You can access a recording of the forum here to hear from key candidates about their strategies to address housing need in Australia, or read the article 'Housing forum showcases fixes for a broken ecosystem' from Pro Bono Australia.

If you would like to know more about housing policies from the major parties, click on these links: 
ALP - Safer and More Affordable Housing
Liberals - Housing and Home Ownership
Greens - One Million Homes
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Housing and Homelessness News

Invitations for NW Men's Shelter Service Provider

The Tasmanian Government is inviting suitably experienced non-government organisations to manage the new men's shelter located in Devonport.

This will be the first dedicated men’s shelter on the North-West Coast, providing accommodation for men who are homeless, including those with full or shared custody arrangements.

The facility includes a two-storey dwelling with seven one-bedroom units and a separate three-bedroom apartment that can accommodate a father with up to four accompanying children.

The development comes after advice from local service providers who identified the difficulty men were experiencing finding secure, safe, affordable accommodation, particularly if they had full or shared child custody.

Grant proposals close at 2:00 pm (AEST), Thursday 2 June 2022,  with all proposals to be lodged via housing.programs@communities.tas.gov.au. Construction work on the development is expected to start soon. See www.communities.tas.gov.au/housing for more details.

Hobart City Mission Event - Sleep Rough

Hobart City Mission's Sleep Rough event is nearly here! Accept the challenge to sleep rough for a night so others don't have to, or help to raise much-needed funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness. 

The event will be taking place on Friday 27 May at Princes Wharf No.1 (PW1), Salamanca. Don't forget to register now if you'd like to be involved and help to raise vital funds and awareness for homelessness in southern Tasmania.

Parity Magazine Call for Contributions

Parity magazine is the Council to Homeless Persons' national publication, and they are currently seeking contributions for their June and July editions.

June 2022 - Education and Homelessness: This edition will examine the interconnections between education and homelessness, including a focus on early-years education, compulsory years of schooling, post-compulsory education, and adult education opportunities. Deadline is 10 June.

July 2022 - Pregnancy and Homelessness: For the first time, Parity will focus on pregnant women without a home, in an effort to produce social changes that deliver a new approach to lifting women and their babies out of a cycle of adversity and deprivation. Deadline is 17 June.

All contributions should be submitted as Word documents to parity@chp.org.au. Contributions can be up to 1,600 words (double page spread) or 800 words for a single page article. Please contact Parity Editor Noel Murray at parity@chp.org.au or ring (03) 8415 6200 if you have any questions, and click here for detailed call for contributions documents for each edition.

COVID-19 Vaccination Reminders and Updates

Please go to coronavirus.tas.gov.au for up-to-date COVID-19 information and resources. You will find assistance with COVID-19 testing, RATs, vaccination information, community safety and procedure for positive cases etc. There is also a separate page for emergency accommodation support.
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Research, Reports & Articles

ABC 7:30, 17 May 2022
The Examiner, 16 May 2022
 
Coalition minister concedes plan to allow first homebuyers to access super will push up house prices
The Guardian, 16 May 2022
ABC News, 17 May 2022

The housing crisis is Australia's greatest weakness
The Saturday Paper, 14 May 2022
 
The Mercury, 11 May 2022

Housing crisis? Look over there - a puppy!
Michael Pascoe for The New Daily, 18 May 2022

Taking helicopter view of homelessness in young people
Pro Bono Australia, 12 May 2022
 
AHURI, 5 May 2022
 
Financial Review, 16 May 2022

Why is no-one talking about Aboriginal community housing in this election?
SBS News, 11 May 2022
 
The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 May 2022

Effects of renting on household energy expenditure: Evidence from Australia
Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University, May 2022
  
Five housing policies that wouldn't drive up prices in Australia
The Guardian, 16 May 2022
 
Housing Affordability in Australia: Tackling a wicked problem
V&F Housing Enterprise Foundation & Per Capita, 2 May 2022
 
Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Housing Hub, May 2022
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Media Statements

Ella Haddad, Shadow Minister for Housing - 12 May 2022
 
Tassie lender to drive new home ownership scheme
Guy Barnett, Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing - 6 May 2022
Guy Barnett, Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing - 5 May 2022
 
^ Back to top

Training and Events

National Homelessness Conference 2022

AHURI, in partnership with Homelessness Australia, will convene the National Homelessness Conference 2022 as a hybrid event this year -  held simultaneously in Canberra and online.

The conference program is now available and outlines all conference sessions across the three days. Some of the key topics include:

  • Are COVID responses the building blocks for a national plan to end homelessness
  • Closing the gap on housing outcomes for indigenous Australians
  • Is the climate crisis an impending homelessness crisis?
  • Unhoused - a game changing media campaign?
There will also be opportunities for in-depth coverage of issues being faced by homelessness service providers including workforce capacity, homelessness in regional Australia, implementation of Housing First, embedding lived experience voices in homeless responses, child protection and many more.


Date:

Mon 8 - Wed 10 August 2022
 

Venue:

National Convention Centre, Canberra + online
 

Cost:

In-person: ranging from $340-$910 (early bird: $430-795)
Virtual: ranging from $200-$500 (early bird: $220-$400


Register:

Click here to complete your in-person or virtual registration, to access the program and to find out more. 
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Other News

HCM Emergency Relief Services Extended

Hobart City Mission (HCM) has now extended its emergency relief services to Oatlands.
 
If you live in Oatlands or the surrounding communities, they can help you with food packs & frozen meal vouchers, No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) Support and referrals to other services & agencies.

Please call 6215 4200 between 8.30am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday for more information or to make an appointment.

Progressing Tasmania's Wellbeing Framework

Premier Rockcliff has announced the Tasmanian Government’s plan to progress a Wellbeing Framework for Tasmania, as a key priority to build a better future for all Tasmanians.

This will build on the work already done in the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy.
 
If you are interested in helping to shape the Wellbeing Framework, please read the Premier’s media release, and watch this space - as extensive community consultation is planned.

Any feedback you have on the Framework development process or generally in relation to wellbeing is also welcome.

IDAHOBIT 2022 Animation

Equal Opportunity Tasmania and Working It Out have partnered to develop an animation for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) 2022. It provides advice to people who experience or witness discrimination, harassment or abuse against LGBTIQ people.
 
You can find it on the Equal Opportunity Tas and Working it Out Facebook pages, and is also available on the Department of Justice Vimeo page.
 
Please take a moment to view and share this helpful resource!

SCHCADS Industry Award

The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHCADS) Industry Award 2010 updated pay table sets out the rates of pay and allowances that apply from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2021. Provided by Jobs Australia, via TasCOSS.

View the latest SCHCADS Industry Award 2010 pay tables here
View the SCHCADS Industry Award 2010 here 
^ Back to top
Find our 2022-23 Budget Submission and 2021 Annual Report here.
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Shelter Tas is supported by the Department of Communities Tasmania.
Copyright © 2022 Shelter Tasmania Inc., All rights reserved.
This eNews has been sent to you because you have indicated that you are interested in receiving updates and information from Shelter Tas.

Thanks to all contributors for their submissions and feedback to the Shelter Tas eNews. As content comes from many different sources, views expressed are not necessarily those of Shelter Tas. 
 
We welcome input from members. Please note however, that priority will always be given to funded not-for-profit housing and homelessness services, in accordance with Shelter Tas’ vision, mission statement and objectives.
 
Please send contributions to comm@sheltertas.org.au for consideration.


Shelter Tasmania Inc. Suite 33 110-114 Collins Street Hobart, Tas 7000 Australia

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