18 January 2019
In light of an impending mass eviction of tenants in the 37 homes formerly owned by Downs Housing in Toowoomba, the Greens have called for the State government to intervene and turn the homes into social housing.
Michael Berkman, Greens MP for Maiwar said:
“I’ve called on Minister de Brenni to intervene and purchase all 37 homes.
“The tenants include some elders, people with disability and residents who have lived there for decades.
“Evicting over a hundred people into homelessness is just plain wrong. If Minister De Brenni doesn’t intervene this will be another episode in the long history of mistreatment and dispossession of Aboriginal people in this country.
Senator Larissa Waters, Senator for Queensland said:
“Housing is a human right, but the waiting list for public housing stretches for years.
“Our current profit-driven housing system treats renters and first home-buyers like second class citizens, but the government should take this opportunity to secure housing over a hundred people.
“If the Labor State government can afford new prisons, why can’t it afford new social housing?
Media contact for Michael Berkman - Abe O’Neill 0439 758 860
Media contact for Larissa Waters - Karina Natt 0419 626 725