HOUSING ACT has suddenly given tenants, mostly women and many of whom have been in their homes for decades, just two days to prepare for a formal hearing to argue why they should not be forcibly relocated.

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) said today (June 15) that public housing tenants threatened with loss of their homes under the ACT government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program have been given under 48 hours to arrange representation and prepare to appear before a government-appointed panel to request an exemption.

ACTCOSS CEO Dr Emma Campbell said: “ACTCOSS has written to the ACT government on numerous occasions asking for details of the promised refined process through which vulnerable tenants can receive a discretionary decision to remain in their properties.

“Despite a Housing ACT promise on May 5 that ‘upon finalisation of the Exemption Policy and Practice Guideline, expected in the coming weeks, [we] will provide a copy of this process to you,’ ACTCOSS has received no such information.

“We were therefore astonished to hear that tenants were contacted yesterday and told they had just 48 hours to prepare their case to appear before a ‘Tenant Relocation Exemption Panel’.

“Further, no information has been made available to tenants or the community sector as to the criteria for decision making; composition, qualification and independence of the panel; time period for the delivery of decisions; whether decisions can be appealed; and whether tenants can appear remotely.

“Ministers Yvette Berry and Rebecca Vassarotti need to explain why it is appropriate that these vulnerable tenants, already distressed by months of uncertainty, have been given just two days to prepare their case to put before a panel organised by Housing ACT – an entity backed by revenues of hundreds of millions of dollars, nearly 300 staff and high-powered legal resources.

“By contrast, many tenants need support to appear in person or online and community sector lawyers and advocates simply cannot be arranged in such limited time. Some tenants will be unable to take time off work, given the short notice.”

ACTCOSS has called for the process to relocate public housing tenants to be non-coercive and to respect the human rights of vulnerable tenants.

Dr Campbell said: “Several months ago, after a meeting with Ministers Berry and Vassarotti, ACTCOSS welcomed the ACT Government’s promise to ‘refine’ the discretionary provisions within the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program.

“However, giving fewer than 48 hours to vulnerable tenants to make a case as to why they should be able to remain in their homes – in some cases of up to 60 years – does not meet the criteria of being non-coercive or respectful of their human rights.”