Homelessness Housing & Human Rights

A major barrier for many homeless people in NSW to applying for social housing is a question of human rights. Recent modifications to the States Residential Tenancies Act have given social housing tenants less rights than other tenants-and Supported Accommodation Assistance Program management more rights.There is no security of tenure,especially for "other ethnicities" and in particular,aboriginal people.The notion that non-compliance with extra conditions which may be imposed by the SAAP on tenants,where ordinary Tenants would have the right to object, are precisely the form of disenfranchisement homeless people do not need.

 The insulting rhetoric from various government offices and NGOs recently, alluding to the mental illnesses which homeless people develop through their homelessness, is yet another cynical attempt by the vested interests who profit from your tax money handed out so generously by government,to protect the hundreds of millions of ill gotten dollars,by silencing the homeless. For signs of mental illness, consider the actions of bipartisan politicians at all levels, who take their advice from the same tired old worn out advisers that for decades have provided failed advice. To reward failure once is tolerable but questionable..but to do so continuously for decades is either bipartisan incompetence or corruption _ hundreds of millions worth annually.

 We already have instances of some homeless people being told that itd much easier to get social housing under the menatl health act-but not being told of the detrimental lifetime effect of that legislation.Our advice to homeless people confronted with such offers id to seek legal advice before following this course.Once you take that path, you are at the whim of subjective "professionals" for life.Female? Oh,DOCs can take your kids,because of your mental disability.

 We note that in the last 4 years,NSW State Govt have been releasing more and more actual psych patients into the community, and in the process destabilising much of the privately owned boarding accommodation in the city area.How? Long term landlords get sick of renovating fortnightly after mental patients have been housed,usually aided by their "social worker." Not blaming homeless with mental issues,or social workers who get them housing.But the reality is many of the long term boarding houses are now backpackers,and much more lucrative as such..lost forever as affordable accommodation. Oh yes, Infrastructure Minister (now premier Keneally ) oversaw Callan Park being stripped of its essential psych care facilities to make way for her now defunct development plan