Post by Banker on Mar 16, 2012 8:31:29 GMT 7
In a public housing scandal hundreds of properties that are meant for the needy are being occupied by people earning more than $100,000 a year.
There are almost a quarter of a million Australians waiting for public housing, but those who are desperate don't always get what they need.
In most cities and towns in Australia, if you were to find tenants living in public housing who earn nearly $200 000 a year, it would be called a rort. It would be considered fraud, and they would be thrown out.
In Canberra however, it seems perfectly legal, and rich and cashed up tenants are living at taxpayers’ expense.
A recent survey in Canberra found three public housing residents earning up to $180,000. It also found 208 tenants in public housing who were on household incomes of more than $80,000, including 43 tenants who declared an income of more than $100,000, and three who earned more than $140,000.
You see, in the nation’s capital, once you're lucky to land a house from the Government it is yours for life.
Irmina Sasimlaukus has lived in her housing commission property since 1985 and pays $200 rent a week. She says she’s happy to have rich neighbours.
According to Roslyn Dundas, Director of ACT Council of Social Services there should be a middle class presence in housing enclaves. But others are not so sure.
It’s tough news for those on public housing waiting lists, including 40,000 in New South Wales and Victoria. In Queensland 30,000 are waiting, while there are 20,000 in South Australia and 55,000 in Western Australia.
Over 233,000 people in total are on waiting lists, costing us $20 billion a year.
All of them are wondering how this can be fair.
“With 50,000 people in New South Wales alone on the public housing list, and people in desperate need - incredibly vulnerable people - it just seems amazing that people with that sort of income could maintain existing in public housing,” Grant Millard from Sydney Anglicare said.
Sydney Anglicare has prepared a report looking at the shortage of secure and affordable housing for women, and Millard says the recent finding is embarrassing and frustrating.
“I think the fact that so many people can't get public housing, they'd be pretty upset about a story like that. When you have single women, young mothers who have got two or three kids, and they get public housing in the form of three days in a motel at a time, and they can't even heat up milk in the microwave for their child, this is a very sad state of affairs,” he added.
While the rich and now infamous happily live off the taxpayer in Canberra, other states are getting tough. 7,000 tenants have been caught rorting the system in New South Wales alone, saving tax payers $20 million.
While Governments in each state tighten the belt, residents in the ACT who earn too much money are simply encouraged to 'revise' their presence in public housing.
One tenant was found to own sixteen properties, and ran a painting business. On top of that he had $67,000 owing in back rent.
And across the country more fraudsters have been nabbed. 500 tenants were caught by the Queensland Housing Department with incomes over $80,000, and in Victoria a whopping 61,600 (or 80 per cent of Housing Department residents) had their rent adjusted, because of a change in their incomes.
goo.gl/qUe8r
There are almost a quarter of a million Australians waiting for public housing, but those who are desperate don't always get what they need.
In most cities and towns in Australia, if you were to find tenants living in public housing who earn nearly $200 000 a year, it would be called a rort. It would be considered fraud, and they would be thrown out.
In Canberra however, it seems perfectly legal, and rich and cashed up tenants are living at taxpayers’ expense.
A recent survey in Canberra found three public housing residents earning up to $180,000. It also found 208 tenants in public housing who were on household incomes of more than $80,000, including 43 tenants who declared an income of more than $100,000, and three who earned more than $140,000.
You see, in the nation’s capital, once you're lucky to land a house from the Government it is yours for life.
Irmina Sasimlaukus has lived in her housing commission property since 1985 and pays $200 rent a week. She says she’s happy to have rich neighbours.
According to Roslyn Dundas, Director of ACT Council of Social Services there should be a middle class presence in housing enclaves. But others are not so sure.
It’s tough news for those on public housing waiting lists, including 40,000 in New South Wales and Victoria. In Queensland 30,000 are waiting, while there are 20,000 in South Australia and 55,000 in Western Australia.
Over 233,000 people in total are on waiting lists, costing us $20 billion a year.
All of them are wondering how this can be fair.
“With 50,000 people in New South Wales alone on the public housing list, and people in desperate need - incredibly vulnerable people - it just seems amazing that people with that sort of income could maintain existing in public housing,” Grant Millard from Sydney Anglicare said.
Sydney Anglicare has prepared a report looking at the shortage of secure and affordable housing for women, and Millard says the recent finding is embarrassing and frustrating.
“I think the fact that so many people can't get public housing, they'd be pretty upset about a story like that. When you have single women, young mothers who have got two or three kids, and they get public housing in the form of three days in a motel at a time, and they can't even heat up milk in the microwave for their child, this is a very sad state of affairs,” he added.
While the rich and now infamous happily live off the taxpayer in Canberra, other states are getting tough. 7,000 tenants have been caught rorting the system in New South Wales alone, saving tax payers $20 million.
While Governments in each state tighten the belt, residents in the ACT who earn too much money are simply encouraged to 'revise' their presence in public housing.
One tenant was found to own sixteen properties, and ran a painting business. On top of that he had $67,000 owing in back rent.
And across the country more fraudsters have been nabbed. 500 tenants were caught by the Queensland Housing Department with incomes over $80,000, and in Victoria a whopping 61,600 (or 80 per cent of Housing Department residents) had their rent adjusted, because of a change in their incomes.
goo.gl/qUe8r
