The department was committed to enhancing service delivery arrangements to meet the changing needs of its clients, expanding service delivery channels, and implementing whole-of-Government support mechanisms to deliver services for common clients with complex needs.
Developing service delivery options that will improve the way housing services are delivered to clients in the future
Clients expect to access services through a range of convenient methods at times and locations of their choice. The department actively pursued opportunities to meet those expectations by increasing service delivery options. Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:
- commenced negotiations with Roma Regional Council to implement a rural housing service centre pilot in Roma, to operate as an access point to one social housing system for clients in that community
- implemented ConnectPoint, a series of self-service computer workstations and printers in the pilot locations of Caboolture and Central Queensland, which complement the RentConnect Advisory Service.
Supporting community providers to deliver quality service to clients
The department monitored the compliance of 335 registered providers, funded to deliver direct and indirect housing assistance to meet their obligations under the Housing Act 2003, the Housing Regulation 2003 and as set out in individual assistance agreements. To assist community housing providers to meet these obligations, the department continued to develop and implement a performance management framework to facilitate the continual improvement of community housing providers and monitor their compliance with the Housing Act 2003.
In addition, to further develop the skills of community housing providers, the department arranged training with the Australasian Institute of Housing in Advanced Communication and Interview Skills, targeted at people who interview and manage clients seeking housing assistance. Over the course of four workshops, 43 people from community housing providers attended.
Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department also:
- continued to work with organisations on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns to progress the restructure of organisations to respond to the changing social housing environment
- began developing referral and allocation procedures for transitional housing providers, consistent with those used in one social housing system. Twelve workshops were conducted with transitional housing providers throughout Queensland, with over 200 people attending to provide feedback towards the development and implementation of revised procedures
- established a Business Development and Innovation Unit in Brisbane in October 2008 to increase the capability of not-for-profit housing providers to become major providers of social and affordable housing within one social housing system, and to encourage and support innovation and continuous quality improvement
- continued to work with housing providers in high need areas across the State to establish housing companies that can provide quality client outcomes, and demonstrate organisational viability, strong governance and capacity to operate at scale
- continued to lead a national review of the National Community Housing Standards which aims to promote and encourage continuous quality improvement in community housing through a system of accreditation and facilitation of quality service provision.
Participating in coordinated service delivery initiatives to ensure sustainable outcomes for clients
The department recognised that an increasing number of people seeking housing assistance have complex needs as a result of having both a low income and other personal circumstances that inhibit their ability to enter or sustain tenure in the private rental or home ownership markets. The department also recognised that these clients may benefit from Queensland Government cross-agency solutions to address issues beyond the need for housing. Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department continued to collaborate with other Queensland Government agencies to provide solutions to mutual clients with complex needs by:
- assisting 183 clients in Roma House (stage one of the Lady Bowen Complex in Spring Hill) under the Responding to Homelessness initiative
- investing $8.95 million under the Responding to Homelessness initiative, including the continuation of building works on stage two of the Lady Bowen Complex and completion of stage three, funding to enable the continuation of an information and referral centre for homeless people in South Brisbane, funding to enable Homeless Service Hubs in Cairns, Townsville, the Gold Coast and Brisbane to provide assistance with housing-related costs for people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness and who require financial assistance to access accommodation, and by providing funding to 16 Community Rent Scheme providers to enable the provision of transitional housing for people displaced by closures of Level 1 and 2 private residential services
- assisting 16 families into social housing under A Place to Call Home. This joint Federal and State initiative over a five-year period, commenced in July 2008 to:
- provide 143 new houses in Queensland, facilitating sustainable long-term housing for families who were homeless or at risk of homelessness
- provide tenancy management and other support services for up to 12 months in order to stabilise the tenants' circumstances and ensure a long-term stable tenancy.
- providing $0.21 million in grant funding to community organisations to lease and manage 23 units of accommodation under the Queensland Government's Drug Court Residential Program, and commenced investigations, with the Department of Justice and the Attorney-General, into options to expand the program beyond the current pilot locations of North Queensland and South-East Queensland
- providing $0.16 million in grant funding to community organisations to lease and manage up to 15 units of accommodation to continue the pilot of the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program
- assisting 132 clients with mental health issues to enter social housing through the Housing and Support Program and investing $1.98 million to expand the social housing property portfolio of the Housing and Support Program by purchasing five existing dwellings
- leasing six units of accommodation to the Gold Coast Housing Company under the Transitional Recovery Program
- allocating six dwellings to support the Intensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Support Program
- assisting nine clients to transition from hospital into social housing through the Spinal Cord Injuries Response, assisting a further 38 households with essential home modifications to their privately owned properties, and investing $7.54 million to expand the social housing property portfolio of the Spinal Cord Injuries Response.
Providing a responsive service that meets the diverse needs of clients
The biennial National Social Housing Surveys, which measure the satisfaction of clients with their treatment by staff, provided the department with the opportunity to gauge its success in responding to its various clients.
| Percentage of social housing tenants satisfied with their treatment by staff |
2005
% |
2007
% |
|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing * |
79
|
84
|
| Public Housing |
78
|
79
|
| Community Housing # |
84
|
78
|
| * Source: Report on Government Services 2008, based on results from the 2007 National Social Housing Survey results. No survey was undertaken between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009. # Community Housing results are not comparable with results from previous years due to the adoption of a new survey methodology. |
||
The department also gauged its ability to provide a responsive service through the number of appeals lodged by clients. An application for an appeal must have been made in writing within 28 days of the client becoming aware of the decision, although some appeals may have been considered outside this timeframe.
A total of 1,089 appeals were received between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, representing a 320% increase on the 340 (of a total of 569) appeals received during the corresponding period in 2007-08 and is primarily as a result of the department's move to a needs based assessment process (the Client Intake and Assessment Process) where applicants were prioritised on their level of need.
Of the 366 legislative appeals received, 252 decisions were overturned or amended. While this represents a substantial increase from previous years, it is as a result of changes to clients circumstances after the decision regarding their eligibility was made, rather than incorrect decision making or policy application. Similarly, the increase of administrative appeals can also be attributed to the implementation of the Client Intake and Assessment Process. A summary of recent trends is outlined below.
Reviewable decisions and administrative appeals by clients
| Part six of the Housing Act 2003 |
1 July 2006 to
30 June 2007 |
1 July 2007 to
30 June 2008 |
1 July 2008 to
31 March 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of decisions overturned or amended |
53 (43%)
|
63 (32%)
|
252 (69%)
|
| Number of decisions upheld |
66 (53%)
|
88 (45%)
|
86 (23%)
|
| Number of applications pending |
5 (4%)
|
44 (23%)
|
28 (8%)
|
| Total number of appeals under Part six of the Housing Act 2003 |
124
|
195
|
366
|
| Administrative Appeals |
1 July 2006 to
30 June 2007 |
1 July 2007 to
30 June 2008 |
1 July 2008 to
31 March 200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of decisions overturned or amended |
118 (38%)
|
99 (27%)
|
77 (11%)
|
| Number of decisions upheld |
180 (58%)
|
203 (54%)
|
627 (87%)
|
| Number of applications pending |
10 (3%)
|
72 (19%)
|
19 (2%)
|
| Total number of administrative appeals |
308
|
374
|
723
|
Specific client groups
Indigenous people
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first people of Queensland and of the Torres Strait Islands, with unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land and seas. The department values and respects the diverse cultures among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Queensland and further recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a right to access affordable, appropriate, safe, well-designed and appropriately maintained housing.
Many Indigenous Queenslanders face additional barriers to achieving positive housing outcomes. Such barriers include higher levels of overcrowding, discrimination and homelessness, a higher proportion of multiple family households, and a lower rate of home ownership. In response, the department continues to focus on improving housing outcomes for Indigenous people and countering these challenges through immediate intervention as well as longer-term strategies.
Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, through the Housing Improvement Program and Rural and Remote Indigenous Housing Program, the department:
- expended $48.73 million to:
- complete construction of 27 dwellings commenced in 2008-09 or previous years, including nine factory-built homes, replace 22 dwellings, and perform 191 upgrades to existing dwellings
- purchase nine dwellings outside of Indigenous communities to allow eligible families in Indigenous communities the opportunity to relocate off the communities
- maintain approximately 4,079 dwellings
- support Indigenous Councils by providing advice, tools and training in asset and tenancy management.
- developed capital investment proposals for Aurukun, Kowanyama, Palm Island, Mornington Island and Yarrabah, and commenced development of capital investment proposals for Doomadgee and for communities under the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council and Torres Strait Island Regional Council
- developed individual Housing Improvement Plans for each Indigenous community to use as a strategic housing asset and tenancy planning document for the development and implementation of various housing improvement strategies in each community. At 31 March 2009, of the Housing Improvement Plans for the 16 Councils:
- 13 plans had been developed and signed by both the department and the responsible Council
- one plan had been developed and is being reviewed by the responsible Council
- two plans were under development, in consultation with Councils.
The department also:
- provided tenancy management services, such as monitoring rent collection and arrears, investigating disputes, making allocation referrals to the Council and maintaining waitlists for six of the 16 Indigenous Councils, namely Lockhart River, Wujal Wujal, Napranum, Hope Vale and Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Councils and the former Kubin Community Council
- commenced negotiations with Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council to divest its tenancy management responsibilities to the department
- commenced the provision of tenant awareness kits for residents of communities where tenancy management services were delivered by the department
- conducted a workshop in February 2009 with 15 housing officers and housing managers from the Torres Strait Island Regional Council on the department's rent policy, rent collection and tenancy management model in preparation for the implementation of the tenancy management model in July 2009. This training will assist the Council to deliver direct tenancy management services, including rent reviews, arrears management, and any other action under the Residential Tenancies Act 1994 to tenants in the communities
- completed the Fixing Houses for Better Health projects in Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw by undertaking health and safety repairs to 304 dwellings
- significantly progressed similar Fixing Houses for Better Health projects on Hammond Island and Boigu Island, by undertaking health and safety repairs to 101 dwellings
- provided property management services, including maintenance and upgrades delivered through QBuild and detailed acquisition, maintenance, upgrade, asset review, redevelopment and disposal programs in 34 Indigenous communities
- completed construction of a women's shelter in Kowanyama, commenced construction of a women's shelter in Pormpuraaw, and entered negotiations to construct women's shelters in Hopevale, Yarrabah and Cherbourg
- provided $0.16 million in grant funding to community organisations to lease and manage up to 15 units of accommodation to continue the pilot of the Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program
- developed appropriate policies and procedures to administer the department's obligations under the trial of alcohol restrictions and welfare reforms that are targeting people in Cape York who are welfare recipients, and who reside in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale or Mossman Gorge
- collaborated with the Federal Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to support the voluntary transition of Indigenous Community-managed Housing Organisations and associated housing assets into one social housing system and introduce a single level of service delivery for Indigenous housing. These 81 organisations, which have been funded almost exclusively by the Federal Government for over 30 years, are located in both urban and regional centres across Queensland and provide housing services to Indigenous households, with some providing additional services such as health, employment and child care support. At 31 March 2009, 15 of the organisations had agreed to transition into one social housing system
- approved seven Community Renewal projects targeting Indigenous people, including the Connecting Indigenous Youth Project in Logan – facilitating the part-time employment of youth workers, over a 36 week period, to offer a range of sporting, cultural and personal development opportunities for Indigenous youth, including those at risk of being involved in juvenile crime or volatile substance abuse
- progressed the implementation of the Remote Indigenous Housing National Partnership Agreement, where Queensland will expend a total of $1.16 billion over 10 years to enable Indigenous people to improve housing amenity and reduce overcrowding for Indigenous people, particularly in remote areas and discrete communities. This agreement provides for the delivery of 1,141 new dwellings, 1,216 major upgrades to existing dwellings, a repairs and maintenance program, provision of tenancy management services and also provides for housing-related infrastructure and employment outcomes.
- provided housing responses to more than 16,280 households with an Indigenous person as shown below.
| Proportion of Indigenous households assisted |
1 July 2006 to
30 June 2007 |
1 July 2007 to
30 June 2008 |
1 July 2008 to
31 March 2009 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
| Government-managed housing | ||||||
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Rental Program |
3,134
|
100.0
|
3,228
|
100.0
|
3,191
|
100.0
|
| Public Rental Housing |
3,873
|
7.2
|
4,140
|
7.7
|
4,140
|
8.0
|
| Community-managed housing | ||||||
| Housing Improvement Program * |
4,157
|
100.0
|
4,092
|
100.0
|
4,276
|
100.0
|
| Long Term Community Housing Program |
238
|
11.8
|
237
|
9.8
|
253
|
10.5
|
| Community-managed Housing—Studio Units |
51
|
6.4
|
308
|
34.3
|
327
|
29.3
|
| Community Rent Scheme |
573
|
19.2
|
715
|
24.8
|
508
|
18.5
|
| Brisbane Housing Company |
35
|
2.9
|
41
|
2.7
|
35
|
4.1
|
| Private market assistance | ||||||
| Bond loans |
6,420
|
14.0
|
5,389
|
12.5
|
3,509
|
9.3
|
| Rental grants |
248
|
22.2
|
207
|
17.0
|
108
|
12.4
|
| * The department calculates the total number of households assisted as the number of households occupying Housing Improvement Program rental units at the end of each reporting period. | ||||||
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
The Department of Housing promoted equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for all Queenslanders, regardless of their gender, culture or religious backgrounds. The department’s commitment to strengthening diversity and enhancing multiculturalism in Queensland was outlined in its Multicultural Action Plan 2008–2011. This plan supported the department’s commitment to recognising and supporting diversity throughout Queensland and the Queensland Government’s Multicultural Queensland – Making a World of Difference policy.
Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department coordinated and/or funded a number of activities targeting multicultural communities including:
- an intercultural family fun day for approximately 300 Cairns West residents
- the African Families Forum in Logan
- the Labrador Multicultural Festival
- the annual Party On in the Park festival in Acacia Ridge which attracted approximately 1,500 local residents predominantly from African, Indigenous and Islander backgrounds.
Additionally, between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department approved seven Community Renewal projects to benefit clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including:
- the Hand In Hand – Senior Migrants Assistance project which provides “one-to-one� basic life skills assistance to senior migrants in Labrador
- the Panui Pasifika project which increases and enhances communication networks between the diverse Pan Pacific Islander people in Logan
- the Capacity Building and Organisational Improvement project which builds the capacity of MultiLink Community Services Inc., enabling it to deliver quality services to its refugee and migrant clients.
People with a disability
The department delivered a range of services to remove or reduce the impact of social, physical or organisational barriers by addressing the housing needs of people with a disability and providing them with the same opportunity to participate in their communities as other individuals. Service provision for clients with a disability was guided by the department’s Disability Services Plan 2007-2010 prepared under the Disability Services Act 2006.
Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009, the department:
- commenced the construction of 52 and completed the construction of 74 dwellings that meet the Australian standards for adaptability and are fully wheelchair accessible
- commenced construction of 34 and completed the construction of 58 semi-adaptable dwellings that have features that address issues faced by people with mobility impairment but who do not require wheelchair accessibility
- completed 1,734 modifications to existing social housing dwellings to provide accommodation for people with a diverse range of disabilities
- assisted 142 clients with severe to moderate mental illness to undertake tenancy agreements and purchased five additional dwellings through the Housing and Support Program
- leased six units of accommodation to the Gold Coast Housing Company under the Transitional Recovery Program
- allocated six dwellings to support the Intensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Support Program
- assisted nine clients to transition from hospital into social housing through the Spinal Cord Injuries Response, and provided new housing solutions for clients with spinal cord injuries by:
- completing the construction of 21 dwellings
- commencing the construction of 10 dwellings
- purchasing two existing dwelling
- purchasing one parcel of vacant land to facilitate future construction of two dwellings.
- completed 750 modifications to homes under the Home and Community Care Home Modification Service to provide essential home modifications to prevent premature entry into a hostel, nursing home or similar facility
- provided training to front-line staff on Housing with Shared Support procedures, an initiative designed to assist clients who have significant support requirements to live in social housing with other people who have similar support requirements, to facilitate the sustainability of their support services
- assisted 46,789 households with Home Assist Secure services by providing free information and referrals pertaining to home maintenance, repairs, modifications and home security. Subsidised assistance with minor home maintenance, repairs, modifications and security is also available for eligible clients who are unable to make use of alternate assistance
- provided social housing responses to more than 26,200 households with a disability, as shown below.
| Proportion of households assisted with a person with a disability |
1 July 2006 to
30 June 2007 |
1 July 2007 to
30 June 2008 |
1 July 2008 to
31 March 2009 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
| Government-managed housing |
21,865
|
38.6
|
22,983
|
40.2
|
23,644
|
41.9
|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rental Program |
642
|
20.5
|
690
|
21.4
|
754
|
23.6
|
| Public Rental Housing |
21,223
|
39.7
|
22,293
|
41.3
|
22,890
|
42.9
|
| Community-managed housing * |
1,918
|
23.7
|
2,103
|
27.2
|
2,560
|
35.9
|
| Long Term Community Housing Program |
455
|
22.6
|
556
|
23.0
|
595
|
24.7
|
| Community-managed Housing—Studio Units |
381
|
48.1
|
494
|
54.9
|
703
|
63.0
|
| Community Rent Scheme |
923
|
31.0
|
894
|
31.0
|
809
|
29.5
|
| Brisbane Housing Company |
159
|
32.4
|
159
|
10.4
|
453 #
|
53.0
|
| * Does not include Crisis Accommodation Program, Drug Court Program, Housing Improvement Program or Same House Different Landlord program as this information is not available. # The significant increase in 2008–09 is attributed to the inclusion of households with a non–physical disability. Prior to 2008-09, only those households with a physical disability were reported by the Brisbane Housing Company. |
||||||
Women
The department contributed to the improvement of women's ability to achieve economic security through access to a range of social housing assistance. The following tables show the percentage of social rental housing where the main applicant or tenant was female.
| Applications on the Housing Register |
30 June 2007
|
30 June 2008
|
31 March 2009
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
| Total applications |
34,592
|
100.0
|
32,519
|
100.0
|
19,790
|
100.0
|
| Total applications headed by a female: |
18,696
|
54.0
|
17,674
|
54.3
|
10,904
|
55.1
|
| Indigenous * |
2,328
|
6.7
|
2,269
|
7.0
|
1,516
|
7.7
|
| Disability # |
5,209
|
15.1
|
5,464
|
16.8
|
3,609
|
18.2
|
| Escaping domestic violence |
18
|
0.1
|
27
|
0.1
|
161
|
0.8
|
| Single person family |
7,953
|
23.0
|
7,675
|
23.6
|
4,958
|
25.1
|
| Single parent family |
9,661
|
27.9
|
8,970
|
27.6
|
5,490
|
27.7
|
| * Indigenous status is where at least one household member self-identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. # Disability status is defined as being households where at least one member is receiving a discrete disability income from Centrelink, plus those on other incomes who identified as having at least one member with a disability, plus those who do not fall into either category but who require(d) home modifications and/or because of a disability. Although a household may be included in more than one of these categories, to derive the total number with a disability, each rental agreement is counted once only. |
||||||
| Tenancies (based on rental agreements) |
30 June 2007
|
30 June 2008
|
31 March 2009
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
| Total tenancies |
52,591
|
100.0
|
53,224
|
100.0
|
53,512
|
100.0
|
| Total tenancies headed by a female |
30,382
|
57.8
|
29,968
|
56.3
|
30,273
|
56.6
|
| Indigenous * |
4,930
|
9.4
|
4,435
|
8.3
|
7,891
|
14.7
|
| Disability # |
9,485
|
18.0
|
10,133
|
19.0
|
9,853
|
18.4
|
| Escaping domestic violence |
276
|
0.5
|
357
|
0.7
|
209
|
0.4
|
| Single person family |
10,239
|
19.5
|
10,235
|
19.2
|
14,569
|
27.2
|
| Single parent family |
13,677
|
26.0
|
13,728
|
25.8
|
13,832
|
25.8
|
| * Indigenous status is where at least one household member self-identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. # Disability status is defined as being households where at least one member is receiving a discrete disability income from Centrelink, plus those on other incomes who identified as having at least one member with a disability, plus those who do not fall into either category but who require(d) home modifications and/or because of a disability. Although a household may be included in more than one of these categories, to derive the total number with a disability, each rental agreement is counted once only. |
||||||
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