STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDIGENOUS PUBLIC TENANTS

The UNCLE JACK CHARLES AWARD is an award that recognises outstanding achievement by an indigenous artist. As an exception to the usual practice, Jack Charles also awarded it to Friends of Public Housing Victoria for our voice of opposition regarding the controversial 'Three Strikes Eviction Policy' which applies to public housing tenants across Australia.

“I would like to award the strong men and women of Friends of Public Housing Victoria an Uncle Jack Charles Award for their stand against the ridiculous ‘Three strikes and you’re out’ policy. So many more homeless people –indigenous and non indigenous - will cause a further generation of the forsaken. I’m appalled.”
Jack Charles - Aboriginal Elder Statesman

FOPHV is honoured to receive this award, and we thank Jack Charles for his staunch support. 

How many indigenous public tenants have been evicted due to this policy in Western Australia and Queensland ?

The Three Strikes Eviction Policy is particularly harsh in Western Australia, where three minor incidents in a 12-month period will result in proceedings for termination of the tenancy.

In June 2013 The Equal Opportunity Commission WA issued a report called   ‘A Better Way’.   It was highly critical of the Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy DBMS- colloquially known as the ‘Three Strikes Eviction Policy’

Quotes from the report by Commissioner for Equal Opportunity WA,

Yvonne Henderson

‘It would appear that public housing tenants are in many cases described in this report subject to a harsher regime than tenants in the private market.’

‘Homelessness should never be used as a punitive measure to shape behaviour in a group with such documented disadvantage’

‘This report recommends that the DBMS scheme should be limited to its original intention – to target dangerous and illegal activities and should not capture the range of normal domestic activities which it does at present.’

Sources

http://v1180u1.vividcluster2.crox.net.au/docs/default-source/publications/a-better-way-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2  Forward and p34