The NSW Government’s failure
to enforce boarding house standards is placing residents’ lives at risk, according to the
Homeless Persons’ Legal Service (HPLS).
‘The NSW Department of
Family and Community Services Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) must
take urgent action to address the appalling conditions that exist in many of
the state’s boarding houses,’ said HPLS policy officer, Mr Louis Schetzer.
The need for action is highlighted by the coronial inquest into the deaths of Shaneen Batts,
Ilona Takacs, Dorothy Hudson, Ian Birks, Donald MacKellar and Mohammed Ramzan.
All of these people died between 2009 and 2010 at a boarding house in
Marrickville.
‘The NSW Ombudsman has
previously identified serious human rights violations for people living in
licensed boarding houses in NSW,’ Mr Schetzer said.
‘Yet nothing has been done
to protect these vulnerable residents. Significant numbers of homeless people
rely on boarding house accommodation and many of these people have physical and
intellectual disabilities, or a mental illness.
‘We urgently need better
regulation of licensed and unlicensed boarding houses. We also need the ADHC to
get serious about its responsibilities to monitor boarding houses and ensure
compliance with existing law,’ Mr Schetzer said.
Mr Schetzer noted that
unlicensed boarding houses are subject to few safeguards or minimum standards.
‘As more licensed boarding houses close or relinquish their licenses, it
becomes even more crucial for a comprehensive regulatory framework that also
covers unlicensed boarding houses,’ Mr
Schetzer said.
The Homeless Persons’ Legal Service
is a joint initiative of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Public
Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) NSW.
CONTACT:
PIAC senior media & communications advisor, Dominic O’Grady: 0478 739 280.
Read the NSW Ombudsman’s report
Related coverage: NSW Government ‘failed’ boarding house six, aap, 12 March 2012
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