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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Pru Goward seeks extension of NSW public housing income management policy | Pru Goward seeks extension of NSW public housing income management policy |
| (7 months later) | |
| Plans by the New South Wales government to extend its income management policy for public housing tenants have alarmed welfare advocates who say evaluations of the trial have not been released. | |
| Family and community services minister Pru Goward is asking the federal social services minister, Kevin Andrews, to expand the income management trial, saying it has helped tenants repay debts and avoid homelessness. | |
| In a statement she described the trial in Bankstown as “successful” although it is not due to finish until June. | In a statement she described the trial in Bankstown as “successful” although it is not due to finish until June. |
| The chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss), Cassandra Goldie, said she had asked for an evaluation of the trial to be released, and said the impact on tenants and the community had not been properly examined. | |
| “I’m quite worried about it,” she said. “This is a lot of money being taken out of people’s already limited incomes and we have no idea what the impact of this trial has been because the government will not release it.” | |
| The scheme automatically takes money out of public housing tenants' income so they can pay rent and pay off debt they have accumulated. | |
| Goward said 49 people in Bankstown had been referred to the trial since August and more than 60% of them had significantly reduced or cleared their debts. | |
| “Sadly, rent arrears can very quickly lead to homelessness,” she said. | “Sadly, rent arrears can very quickly lead to homelessness,” she said. |
| “By working proactively with the Commonwealth to expand the income management trial, we can help more public housing tenants get back in control of their lives and provide a stable, safe home for their family while meeting their obligations to the NSW taxpayer.” | |
| Goward pointed to Mount Druitt, which has a total amassed debt of public housing tenants of $387,295, as one area that could benefit from an income management scheme. | |
| In a submission to the federal government on income management, Acoss called the policy “inappropriate” and said it could not be introduced with the necessary levels of protection. | In a submission to the federal government on income management, Acoss called the policy “inappropriate” and said it could not be introduced with the necessary levels of protection. |
| “Overall Acoss is strongly opposed to measures that remove discretion from very low-income households over the use of very limited resources to meet their needs,” the submission said. | |
| “This leaves such households — particularly those with children — at significant risk. Faced with such constrained choices, children may be forced to go without essential opportunities, the ability to take up employment opportunities may be lost, or it may be impossible to pay for other essentials such as heating or electricity which may then be cut off.” | “This leaves such households — particularly those with children — at significant risk. Faced with such constrained choices, children may be forced to go without essential opportunities, the ability to take up employment opportunities may be lost, or it may be impossible to pay for other essentials such as heating or electricity which may then be cut off.” |
| Goldie said income management took away the choice of people who lived in public housing to decide on their spending priorities, be it food, school supplies or medical expenses. | |
| She said the policy could lead to higher rates of poverty for public housing tenants. | She said the policy could lead to higher rates of poverty for public housing tenants. |
| Goldie said that as well as there being no evaluation of the Bankstown trial available, there was no comprehensive data on the factors that made public housing tenants leave their accommodation and become homeless. | |
| • This article was amended on 3 February 2014. An earlier version said the trial was taking place in Blacktown | • This article was amended on 3 February 2014. An earlier version said the trial was taking place in Blacktown |