Queensland Shelter Christmas Ebulletin: 18th December 2009

The staff and Board at Queensland Shelter wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Q Shelter office closing dates

Queensland Shelter’s office will be closed from Christmas Eve until Monday the 5th January. We will see you back on deck in the New Year.
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Mining and Housing Round Table
Yesterday, Queensland Shelter held a Round Table meeting to discuss the housing crisis within the Bowen, Surat and Galilee Basin areas. Meeting attendees included representatives from the communities affected, mining organisations, regional councils, state government department, statutory authorities and peak bodies. The current housing situation in Bowen, Galilee and Surat Basins was discussed with people sharing their concerns and focus for attending the meeting which ranged from people on low incomes being displaced to the region not being able to attract health and other professional staff.

Possible strategies and potential partnerships were explored along with scoping potential research and future meeting dates. A report from this meeting will be completed and distributed in the beginning of next year.
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Treasurers’ response to recent ATO decision impacting on NRAS

Many of you are aware of the recent ATO interpretive decision that prohibits dwelling owners who lease their properties to an NRAS-entitled entity, who then sublease the dwelling to eligible tenants, from receiving the NRAS tax offset
(see http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=AID/AID2009146/00001). In response to that decision, CHFA wrote to Treasurer Swan noting the serious ramifications this decision could have on current and potential NRAS participants and requested a clarification on the Government’s position.

CHFA received a response from the Treasurer and Minister Plibersek. Of particular importance is the commitment from ATO that they will provide guidance before Christmas on acceptable NRAS models including trusts, partnerships and non-entity joint ventures; and that “the Government is committed to NRAS, and will introduce adjustments to the regime if necessary to fully achieve its policy objectives of increasing housing supply”.
The letter received by CHFA from the Treasurer and Minister Plibersek is on the Q Shelter website at http://www.qshelter.asn.au/treasurers-response-to-recent-ato-interpretiv...
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ASHRAM Call to Action

Queensland Shelter attended the ‘Stronger Tenancies Project’ report launch at ECCQ House of Wednesday 16th December, which was followed by the final ASHRAM meeting for the year. The project involved investigation of issues and concerns surrounding tenancies particularly for new and emerging communities. It involved questionnaires and case studies regarding their access to tenancy services and knowledge of their rights and responsibilities as tenants. The paper reflected a number of the issues which we have identified in ASHRAM’s ‘Call to Action’ which warrant attention. The ‘Call to Action’ is in its final stages and is expected to be formally adopted in January and will provide the foundation for ASHRAM’s work in the upcoming year. If you are interested in housing concerns such as these faced by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Australia, please contact Q Shelter in the new year to find out more about our ASHRAM branch meetings.
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National Housing Conference

Queensland Shelter attended the 6th National Housing Conference at the Melbourne Exhibition and Conference centre between the 24th and 27th November 2009. Attended by government ministers, national and international experts, researchers, lecturers and representatives from various organisations, and a large number of sponsored tenants from public and social housing, the conference explored a diverse range of issues around housing through large plenary panel sessions and smaller concurrent breakout sessions. The first and last days also involved a number of site visits to various public and community housing estates around Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Key aspects of the overarching theme, Housing in the new era: building the connections, included policy reforms, connectedness and partnerships and sessions explored key social issues such as homelessness, closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage, transport and access to services and support, and barriers such as NIMBY-ism preventing the construction of a greater amount of affordable housing.

To continue reading Kate’s report on the Closing the Gap session at the National Housing Conference please visit http://www.qshelter.asn.au/6th-national-housing-conference-november-2009
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Website Updates

Queensland Shelter’s 2010/2011 Pre Budget Submission is available at http://www.qshelter.asn.au/policies/pre-budget-submission

Queensland Shelter’s response to the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs Residential Tenancies Databases Model Provisions Consultation is available at http://www.qshelter.asn.au/policies/tenancy-database-submission

The Findings from Queensland Shelter’s Health, housing and disability forums are now available at http://www.qshelter.asn.au/health-housing-and-disability-in-queensland
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Queensland Shelter PO Box 214, Spring Hill 4004
Ph: (07) 3831 5900 Webpage: www.qshelter.asn.au
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