Premier Peter Gutwein continues to display a callous disregard for Tasmanians facing serious housing issues and homelessness by claiming many families in housing stress do not want to be helped.
Shadow Housing Minister Alison Standen said by claiming Tasmanians in housing stress may not want to take assistance when they are offered help, Mr Gutwein had provided a disturbing insight into the Liberal’s attitude toward the state’s most vulnerable.
“It’s just offensive and bewildering to the thousands of Tasmanians languishing on the Liberal Government’s housing wait list that the government would have that sort of attitude in this time of unprecedented housing crisis,” Ms Standen said.
“These are the Tasmanians who are couch surfing, sleeping in their cars, relying on the kindness of friends and, in many cases, sleeping rough in tents.
“It beggars belief that the Premier would be so uncaring to believe any meaningful assistance that can be offered is being refused.
“It also beggars belief that the Premier today claimed each of the people and families facing housing issues that Labor questioned him about yesterday had been offered help.
“The facts are that one of these families was contacted subsequent to questioning by Labor and instructed to go to a caravan park on the opposite side of Hobart from the house where they are couch surfing. Another man sleeping in his car was instructed to make enquiries at a shelter where the government knows there are simply no beds and in full knowledge this option would end his access to his young son.
“The family of a child living with disability in a totally inadequate home was not contacted at all and a woman living in a tent has only received temporary accommodation because charity has stepped in.
“The government’s uncaring attitude toward the major issue of housing and homelessness throughout Tasmania is on display and it is a disgrace.”
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Housing Minister
