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Thursday, 9 May 2019

MORE RESPONSES FROM CANDIDATES



More responses from Candidates...
                                                                                                         

JULIAN BURNSIDE
GREENS CANDIDATE FOR KOOYONG
In a wealthy country like Australia, no one should be without a home. Unfortunately, years of Liberal and Labor governments have treated housing like a commodity and created a system that works best for their big corporate donors. First home buyers compete with wealthy investors who benefit from tax breaks, and our rental laws are heavily skewed to favour landlords over families and young people.
The Greens will ensure we have a housing system that puts people’s needs before property developer greed. We will establish a Federal Housing Trust to fund the building of 500,000 public and community homes. 
If you'd like to read our plan to ensure a home for all in Australia with more details on our housing policies, please visit our website here: https://greens.org.au/platform/homes
Regards,  Rob (from Julian's team)
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KATH LARKIN
VICTORIAN SOCIALISTS - CANDIDATE FOR COOPER
Victorian Socialists are 100% opposed to the sell off and privatisation of public housing.
Victorian Socialists reject the trashing of public housing that is being carried out by stealth by both state and federal governments. Instead of what amounts to privatisation of public housing under the guise of "social housing", we call for government investment to massively expand public housing so that the system not only caters for all those currently on waiting lists, but makes it a real and attractive alternative to private rental for hundreds of thousands of people.

 State and federal governments have all shrugged their shoulders and given up on providing affordable high-quality housing as a right to the whole population.They’ve decided that the private sector should simply run the sector, according to its priorities; profit from land value appreciation, land banking, investment-based apartments, frequently empty, funded through negative gearing, with a glut of overpriced units, and an absolute shortage of affordable properties.

A lot could be done about the private rental market, but there is only one thing that will create affordable housing: a massive revival of public housing, and a revolution in how it is used. Development Victoria’s mission could include a massive expansion of public housing. Instead we are selling off a valuable public asset and paying developers to build homes at a profit.

The revolution in public housing would create a public housing sector that it is open to and used by people on low, lower-middle, and middle incomes, either as a prelude to entering the private market, or as secure housing for life.
https://www.victoriansocialists.org.au/manifesto
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DAVID BLAKE 
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR MELBOURNE
"If you go to my website and download my Policy document, you will see I refer to increasing housing for low income households in the proposed Arden-Macauley precinct, from 6% to 20% - for 50 years!
I think we need to help public housing tenants so they are not punished for working in casual and temporary jobs.
My view on housing in general is to increase the supply overall but so that we have more accessible and affordable housing for working Australians. That means shifting jobs to country towns and growing new cities.
We have shown we can do smart things with public housing in Victoria in years gone by, and we can get back to that.
I am in favour of smaller 'in-fill' style projects evenly spread out across Melbourne, so that people who are unemployed or low wages or have disabilities can access employment opportunities. We have good examples of that in North Melbourne and it works really. I don't think we should isolate people."
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MARK FERRIS
SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA PARTY 
Affordable housing is one of our four key campaign pillars. For our policies on housing please see this link  www.sustainableAustralia.org.au/policies
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SEB CARRIE WILSON
The FLUX Party
The Flux Party is an apolitical party with the aim of promoting issue based direct democracy using the Flux App
For example if a piece of legislation concerning Public Housing was put before the parliament, every enrolled voter could vote to pass or reject the legislation. With the flux model every citizen has a vote instead of just the politicians.To find out more please visit https://voteflux.org/ 
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STEPHEN CAMPBELL


- FEDERAL SECRETARY DLP
 I'm happy to commit the Democratic Labour Party (Labour DLP) to the protection and extension of Public Housing. We also oppose the current, or any, privatisation strategy.
The DLP would in fact like to see all a National Public Housing Scheme (NPHS) where state public housing across Australia is brought permanently under Federal government control with a national low income rental rate of 25% of earnings and 15% for disabled occupants. The scheme would be introduced in a cooperative style with a government agency as 'steward' of the scheme but ownership and control being in the hands of the Australian people. As the scheme has a cooperative structure the housing could not be sold off without the agreement of 90% of the co-op shareholders; the shareholders being those Australians who appear on the electoral roll (some 15 million).  
This is part of the long term DLP cooperative plan to see all State and Federal assets, utilities etc... brought under direct ownership of the Australian people by Cooperatising them. Governments then get to be stewards of the assets but ownership is directly in the hands of the people. https://dlp.org.au/
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DUNCAN DEAN UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY 
CANDIDATE FOR LA TROBE
Australia is currently going through a housing crisis. This has been building for decades now, to its current peak which may get even higher unless government wakes up and intervenes in our national domestic housing travesty.  Homelessness and lack of housing support is a misery being suffered every day by thousands of Australians, in every state and territory of this supposedly "lucky country".  Lucky for some, but not the many others who have become the underprivileged and hapless souls missing out on the security of a place to live in a country as wealthy as Australia.  We must ensure a safe place to live for all in the Australian community. Sole parents and other underprivileged sectors of our society are suffering.
If I am lucky enough to be elected to the House of Representatives in the Australian Parliament by the people of the La Trobe electorate in May this year, I will be doing all in my power under the next term of government, whoever is at the helm and whichever party has a majority, to ensure that the needs of those requiring public housing are met. 
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BILL CHANDLER OAM
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR KOOYONG
As a city planner I am only too aware of the issues of housing affordability and homelessness. I am not in a position to give you a detailed response, but I am clear in saying that we have dropped the ball in this area,not least of all in providing funded public housing, and recognising that renting is a reality for many people who should be assisted, not penalised. Electricity cost savings by installing solar panels is just one example. See my key issues on my how-to-vote card. The www.billchandlerforkooyong.com website includes evolving details of my values,advocacy and campaign, and I post on Facebook billchandlerforkooyong. All the best with your important program. Bill Chandler OAM To discuss further please ring 0419762760.
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OUR RESPONSE
Many thanks to all the candidates who have responded, especially since most are frantically busy on the hustings leading up to the day of the Election. ( More responses were featured on the previous post. )

The difference between Public Housing and Community Housing has not been addressed by many of the respondents. I think there is still much confusion about the two housing models.They should not be conflated as if they are the same or similar. 

The reality is that Community Housing ( aka Social Housing ) is TAKING OVER Public Housing. 
Public Housing is being privatised, and this is happening right across all Australian states.

Arguments in favour of Public Housing vis-a-vis business housing models such as Social and Community Housing, should be actively engaged in by all political candidates. We believe that Public Housing does the job of housing people far better than Community Housing - and at far less cost to society.

With homelessness rising all the time, and so many people experiencing severe housing stress, we simply cannot afford to keep losing Public Housing in this way.
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Don't forget to sign the petition by the Federation of Community Legal Services.
https://www.fclc.org.au/public_housing











Wednesday, 8 May 2019

RESPONSES BY CANDIDATES TO THE PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING.

Many thanks to all the candidates who have responded.

Only a very few candidates have addressed the difference between Public Housing and Community Housing and the Commonwealth's agenda to transfer Public Housing to Community Housing businesses ( aka social housing ) which we oppose.

Please read earlier blogpost.
https://savepublichousing.blogspot.com/2019/05/why-public-housing-is-federal-issue_3.html

We hope the election delivers an outcome which will progress and benefit this country. We need a government that listens and governs fairly, on behalf of all of us. 

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KAMMY CORDNER HUNT
INDEPENDENTS FOR CLIMATE ACTION NOW, VICTORIAN SENATE

If elected, Kammy Cordner Hunt will vigorously lobby for the protection and extension of Public Housing and oppose the privatisation strategy currently being driven to Community Housing organisations. She finds it 'totally unacceptable' that in Victoria there are over 82,000 people on the waiting list, 25,000 of them being children and every week 125 new applications from individuals or families are received.
" I AM INCENSED BY THE PRIVATISATION AND OUTSOURCING OF VITAL SERVICES SUCH AS THESE, MAKING OUR PEOPLE MOST IN NEED THE VICTIMS OF COST-CUTTING AND PROFIT-MAKING. "
Concerning the Federal Government linking its housing funding to a directive that the States hand over Public Housing to Community Housing Organisations, Kammy says that this is "OUTRAGEOUS AND UNACCEPTABLE, SURELY THERE IS MORE EQUITABLE WAY HERE."
https://i-c-a-n.com.au/kammy-cordner-hunt/
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KEN BETTS
INDEPENDENT, SENATE VIC

I support your campaign💯%.
In fact here in the Western suburbs I have been as a Justice of the Peace helping the vulnerable in our community for over 9 years.
If voted in to the senate,I commit here to setting up a meeting to assist your concern issues and hopefully resolve.
There is an old saying and I quote “ you can judge a government by the way it treats its vulnerable” And right now that’s poorly!!
For more information details go to my Web Site https://www.kennethbetts.net/
Good luck with your campaign.
Sincerely,Ken
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DUSTIN PERRY
FLUX SENATE CANDIDATE FOR VIC

Flux doesn't actually have any policies, and therefore we don't like to promote a particular position on anything.  Instead of asking voters to choose us for a particular policy package like most traditional Parties do, we are simply offering a system that allows better representation of the community.

We have developed a smartphone app that every registered voter in an elected Flux Senators state will be able to download free.  As Bills are due to come before Parliament, Flux Senators will enter them into the app, where members of the community will then have the opportunity to vote yes or no on the individual issue, and the app data then informs the Flux Senator of how they must vote.  This happens for every Bill that comes before Parliament, and it is the only influence of how we vote, which ensures votes are being made in Parliament in true accordance with the will of the people.

I do personally support what you're saying here, but we do not let our personal opinions sway votes, as I mentioned above, we vote true to the public votes on our app.  I hope you can see how this system could be beneficial to you.  With a Flux Senator elected, you will have some influence on how we vote on Public Housing related matters.
+61 499799130
dustin.perry@voteflux.org
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DR ANGELINA ZUBAC
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR KOOYONG

Thanks. If I win Kooyong, which is unlikely, please feel free to look me up. But even if I don’t. I do think we need to get people off the streets and we have had a high level of homelessness and couch surfing going on for far too long. Happy to discuss should the unlikely occur….

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NIGEL NICKS
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR NICOLLS
AUSTRALIAN UNITED FARMERS


Access to housing is an area of policy that I support strongly. I see a number of opportunities to fix the current situation
To discuss further:  0484 101 147
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MD SARWAR HASAN
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
MARIBYRNONG

Thanks for raising your concern with me. Me personally deal with lot of homeless people, it's break my heart seeing most of them who could have been look after better.
Our Government is very negligent in this matter believe me I know. UAP will make a big difference by putting Australia first. That means creating more jobs, revenue,  low living expenses and tax cut. Doing so will get lot people in work force and will give us opportunities to look after underprivileged people with full capacity so can there be no homeless people.
Please don't hesitate to contact me.
M:0438454332
Maribyrnong@unitedaustraliaparty.org.au
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KEVIN GAYNOR
AUSTRALIAN WORKERS PARTY

Fully support a massive increase in public housing. The fact that Australia has record economic growth and record homelessness makes no sense.
The Australian Workers Party has an extensive policy that funds large government infrastructure projects, public housing being specified as a priority.
Regards
Kevin Gaynor
0418 538 000
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LIBBY COKER
LABOR CANDIDATE FOR CORANGAMITE

Labor believes affordable and secure housing is essential to wellbeing, participation and social inclusion, and that all Australians have a right to safe, affordable and appropriate housing throughout their lives.
Housing affordability and increasing homelessness are significant social and economic challenges that must be addressed, requiring national leadership and the Commonwealth has a substantial role to play.
To find out more
https://www.alp.org.au/negativegearing
https://libbycoker.com.au/
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SUE PENNICUIK
GREEN CANDIDATE FOR GOLDSTEIN

Dear Friends of Public Housing Victoria,
Like you and so many other Australians, I am very concerned about the increasing unaffordability of housing in Australia, the inadequate stock of public housing and the growing number of homeless people. This just should not be happening in Australia. Everyone should have a place to call home!
The Greens have a comprehensive plan to address the housing and homelessness crisis, including:
⦁    Building 500,000 well designed public and community homes
⦁    Increasing funding for temporary accommodation services so that no-one has to sleep on the streets
⦁    Improve rental rights across the country and increased funding for tenancy advocacy services

I will vigorously work for the protection and extension of public housing. As a state MP, I strongly opposed the privatisation of public housing and successfully moved for a parliamentary inquiry into the state government’s proposed sale of public housing estates across Melbourne at a time when there are around 80,000 people o n the public housing waiting list.
You can read more about our comprehensive plan here: https://greens.org.au/platform/homes

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MARK FERRIS
NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA

Affordable housing is one of our four key campaign pillars. For our policies on housing please see this link: www.SustainableAustralia.org.au/policies
Ph: 0477 427 596

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SONIA BUCKLEY
INDEPENDENT FOR GIPPSLAND

Thankyou for your contacting me. I am in strong support of the above issues you have raised, I don't support privatisation.
Here are some of my thoughts.
We must also understand the plight of the socially disadvantaged, compassion is sorely needed. We know that by reducing income inequality and unlocking opportunities through education is part of the solution. Especially focussing on early childhood development, breaking the cycle requires preventive measures. Many people don't have choice to what environment they are born into and how difficult it can be to break out of that cycle, especially without societies help, they can be trapped in it for a lifetime. Programs that support parenting, literacy, numeracy, digital, financial, health and emotional wellbeing as well as encourage work ethic should gain funding. I would support community, ensuring we combat homelessness in providing tiny home villages that reintegrate each person into productive lifestyle and work programs.
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JAMES WILLIAMS
GREENS CANDIDATE FOR MARIBYRNONG


I am a proud Wakka Wakka man and I am proof of the power of education.
My parents came from poorly educated Aboriginal families, yet in one generation us kids have achieved an extremely high level of education. My siblings and I have multiple degrees, masters and PhDs between us. 

There would be no other candidate in this election who would agree with you more, and how I feel about this, and when this election is over, I will continue with you in this fight.
To discuss the public housing issue further, please call 0404 048 736

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SUNNY CHANDRA
SENATE - VIC   

Dear FOPHV, group of tenants and citizens
I applaud your being proactive. I have read through it and considered the issues you raised.
I can support your position, but for that I first need to be elected to the Senate.
Therefore, I request you to support me by giving me your vote. If you have any queries or clarifications required, please do contact me direct on 0419 846 464.
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SHIREEN MORRIS
LABOR CANDIDATE FOR DEAKIN

Australia is in the midst of a homelessness crisis. On Census night in 2016 more than 116,000 Australians were experiencing homelessness – a staggering increase of more than 13 per cent in the period since the 2011 Census. Troublingly, for groups such as older women and young people, the rates of increase were even higher.
https://www.alp.org.au/negativegearing
I hope that I’ve answered the queries that you had around this issue. www.shireenmorris.net.au
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Friday, 3 May 2019

WHY PUBLIC HOUSING IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.


FIRSTLY - PRAISE FOR THE COMMUNITY LAWYERS.

The Federation of Community Legal Centres in Victoria have launched a campaign to
PROTECT PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE RIGHTS OF PUBLIC TENANTS.

The voice of Friends of Public Housing is not a voice in isolation.

Please read their Campaign material - and then we urge you to sign their petition.

Sign the petition to Save Public Housing, and to defend the human rights of the vulnerable, and politically powerless.

Sign the petition because the process of consultation is so flawed as to be extremely unjust - as highlighted in the Report on the Upper House Inquiry into the Public Housing Renewal Program.

Sign the petition to acknowledge that without Public Housing, homelessness will only get worse!

And finally sign the petition to support the Community Legal Centres - because the political climate surrounding the privatisation of Public Housing -  where the profits accrued by an elite will be astronomical - is having the opposite effect on so many of our publicly funded organisations - they are keeping quiet, going along with it, rather than speaking out.

Taken from their website -

"The Federation of Community Legal Centres is critical to a healthy, functioning democracy, because we stand up for people and causes that aren’t backed up by power and wealth. We’re independent from government and corporations, and accountable first and foremost to our communities.

In addition to supporting Legal Centres to do their most impactful work, the Federation works to achieve economic and social justice at a systemic level via strategic policy, advocacy and campaigning work.

Our vision is for a community that is fair, inclusive and thriving: where every person belongs and can learn, grow, heal, participate, and be heard."

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Vic Labor's misnamed 'Public Housing Renewal Program' will result in the privatisation of nine free standing metropolitan public housing estates - Ascot Vale, ( located on 77 acres of prime real estate ) Brighton, Brunswick West, Clifton Hill, Hawthorn, Heidelberg West, Nth Melbourne, Northcote, and Preston.
Two other walk-up estates, that are adjacent to high-rise public housing in Prahran and Kensington, are also undergoing the same upheaval. In short - eleven public assets, both the land and the homes, are to be sold off, demolished and privatised - communities destroyed, and people displaced from their homes and neighbourhoods.

And all this is just the tip of the iceberg ...

Contracts have been signed for the first three of the eleven public housing estates due to be privatised. -  These are in Northcote, Preston and North Melbourne.

The Community Legal Services state that "The first three public renewal sites will have no public housing."

Got that folks? In spite of all the newspaper articles you might have read, there won't BE any public housing at the end of the process - according to the first tranche to go across!

The government is busy trying to disguise this fact by re-inventing the meaning of public housing. In fact the whole privatisation of public housing has been facilitated and obfuscated by the clever misuse of the language, which I keep talking about in this blog, because it is crucial in understanding how governments around Australia are able to get away with privatising such an essential public asset, without the knowledge of the general public.

We always use the term Public Housing as it is generally known and understood - Housing that is owned and managed by state governments on behalf of the people -a public asset.

Community Housing in Victoria - (also known as Social Housing ) is comprised of 39 registered separate companies with different policies and procedures. They are identical with any other private landlord under the Residential Tenancy Act.

Some of the big "Community / Social Housing" players in Victoria are the Housing Associations.They include : Housing First Ltd ( formerly Port Phillip Housing Association ) Loddon Mallee Housing Services Ltd, Common Equity Housing Ltd,Housing Choices Australia Ltd, Unison Housing Ltd, Community Housing Ltd
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Quotes from the Federation of Community Legal Centres

"There are 82,000 people on the Victorian waiting list, 25,000 of them being children. Every single week 125 new applications from individuals or families are received – we are in a crisis."

"We need massive improvements and large-scale build of public homes like we had in the sixties, not privatisation."

"Send the Andrews Government a clear message that they need to protect public homes in Victoria and the rights of the people that live in them."

"They have recently announced a private developer will rebuild homes that were once public and a private organisation will run the homes instead of the Government. " 

The companies that will be running what was formerly public housing, will be 'Community' or 'Social' Housing.

"What we need is "a large scale build of publicly owned and managed homes in Victoria to remove the 82,000 people from the waiting list."

The Community Lawyers have grave concerns for the rights of public tenants. They state that "the shift to Community Housing will result in an erosion of their rights". 

"People living at the renewal sites have been promised by the Minister that they have the right to return and retain the same housing protections as before. However, based on the information currently available, it appears this will not be the case"

Hundreds, if not thousands, of public tenants ( many with disabilities, elderly people, and migrants with limited English ) received fridge magnets and letters from the Victorian Housing Minister personally assuring them of this - and they left their homes in good faith. What a travesty of justice!

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 I'm proud of the Federation of Community Legal Centres. You should be too.


 Here is the link to their Petition

https://www.fclc.org.au/public_housing

You don't have to be a Victorian to sign - because the same thing is happening across all Australian states!

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Friends of Public Housing Victoria is genuinely non-party political. We believe that homelessness and the need to save Public Housing are issues that should be of concern to everyone, regardless of their political stripes.

WHY IS THE PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING A FEDERAL ISSUE?

Under the Commonwealth Federal Housing funding agreement, one of the outcomes stipulated is the 'transfer of public housing to Community Housing providers'. 

At the pointy end of the housing crisis, this is unacceptable to any fair-minded organisation that advocates for public tenants or is involved in homelessness services.

And the far-reaching consequences of this policy will impact on everyone in the longer term by entrenching the housing crisis for people on low to moderate incomes already struggling to pay high rents.

Transferring public housing across to private interests will make matters worse -and it can be likened to merely shifting the deckchairs on the Titanic! The government needs to take responsibility and fix the problem.

In the Commonwealth Government document, one of the key performance indicators is to monitor the progress of states managing the transferring of public housing. This means that Commonwealth funding to the states is dependent on the Commonwealth being satisfied that public housing transfers are proceeding at a rate satisfactory to them. 

(  Commonwealth Budget Review 2017–18  - National Housing and Homelessness Agreement- see link below )

Why is the Commonwealth getting so heavily involved with the states and their public housing? 

We are assuming that most candidates for the Federal election would not be aware of this Government strategy.

The Federal plan linking funding to the states with the directive to transfer public housing will further reduce the very low number of public housing right across Australia. In Victoria the amount of public housing is a miniscule 2.7% of all housing - less than 3 homes for every 100 homes! 

Slowly but surely we are losing Public Housing all the time - death from a thousands cuts.

Is it any wonder that homelessness is escalating ....

Feedback is invited from all political candidates regarding this Federal Government strategy.

Candidates from major parties, smaller parties, tiny parties, and independent candidates are invited to put forward their views on this. The privatisation in general of public assets, the future of public housing, and the rise in homelessness are real issues of concern to voters.

The high number of visitors to this blog is an indication of this.

Candidates can get in touch by emailing us at housinghumanrights@gmail.com
Comments, viewpoints and statements can be featured in the next blog-post, OR candidates can add a comment below. Candidates can also get in contact with us via our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/FOPHVIC

Sources:
 https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview201718/Social_housing_and_homelessness

Public Housing in Vic - 2.7% of housing in Victoria.
Inquiry into Public Housing Renewal Program.  p25 section 2.3

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Posts to this blog will resume bi-weekly.
Please help us to save Public Housing - now and for future generations.