LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND HOUSING IN TASMANIA

Relative to 'housing and homelessness', the level of ineptitude discernible at Launceston's Town Hall is enough to give cause for civil disobedience and insurrection. Thankfully that hasn't happened yet.

It would be a safe bet that there would be ABSOLUTELY NOBODY who meets in this edifice in an official capacity that has any 'expertise' whatsoever relative to homelessness except for those being at one in their distrust in and distain for people in 'housing distress'. The 'Homelessness Response Committee' is deliberate tokenism and clearly it is designed and devised to meet and confirm 'that Council has no role to play in this space'.

The Member for Bass, Bridget Archer, in her election campaigning asserted that Social Housing was NOTHING that figured in her purview. Mayor van Zetten and his Deputy have expressed like sentiments variously and Cr. Gibson made his position crystal clear at the most recent Council meeting 'at the table'. So the intent is clear – albeit to some extent well intentioned – and Launceston people in housing distress can look forward to:

1 ... Enough meetings being scheduled to provide and sustain the 'GOOD LOOK';

2 ...  'The committee' being peopled with those who aspire to maintain the 'status quo';

3 ...  'The committee' being peopled with those who have no direct experience with or expertise relative to 'homelessness' – homeless people;

 4 ... 'The committee' being peopled with those who will NOT speak of 'committee deliberations and recommendations' undertaken in camera – indeed formally prevented from doing so;

 5 ... 'The committee' being peopled with those who have commitments to operations that are unable to, or are unwilling to, service the cohorts of people in housing distress not currently serviced by them.

Arguably, it is proffered that every elected representative, and every Council officer, at Town Hall somehow qualifies to provide informed contributions the deliberations – and as a consequence of them. That is so, and despite any 'good will', they would be totally ill equipped to offer meaningful ways forward based on real world experience or a relevant qualification. 

Indeed, some have openly advocated that 'these people' – the homeless – need to be "moved on" but can offer no advice as to where they might move on to from where they are not wanted. Typically, they have little to offer except to say that "the police must deal with it. etc. etc. ... its not our job".

The glaring point that is being missed is that this 'committee' is in fact a 'Clayton's Committee' and, on the evidence, an exercise in Machiavellian obfuscation. Curiously, it is being flagged that 'down the track will morph into a housing committee' and the case for it doing so right now is compelling given that the 'real problem' is a lack of 'affordable housing'.

The current 'committee' has clearly been set up to treat 'the symptoms', apply bandaids, latter ointments and offer painkillers for a malady that has taken hold and for which a 'cure' is needed. Sadly, it turns out that this 'homelessness committee' is an exercise in cynicism of the highest order.

FACEbook COMMENT

Mieke Senior-Loncin .... Somebody got paid to write that report ? Where are the architects, the eco building businesses, the environmental planning advisers, the social workers on the coalface, the homeless people ... Indeed where are they?!

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8.1.9. Public Questions on Notice - Ray Norman - Homelessness Action Plan FILE NO: SF6381 AUTHOR: Anthea Rooney (Council and Committees Officer) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Michael Stretton 

QUESTIONS and RESPONSES: The following questions, submitted in writing to the Council on 8 June 2022 by Ray Norman, have been answered by Dan Ryan (General Manager Community and Place Network). 

Questions: 1. Given Council’s determination to implement a Homelessness Action Plan for the City, will Council please update its constituency on: 

a. who has been appointed to the flagged Committee; 

b. what the Committee’s terms of reference are; 

c. what has been achieved on the ground for those people who find themselves homeless in the City; 

d. what resources have been installed on appropriate sites to assist homeless people in the City since the flagging of the Homelessness Action Plan; 

e. who has been engaged with the Council in addressing the City’s housing crisis and to what end? 

Response: The transition from the existing Homelessness Response Committee to the new Homelessness Advisory Committee is currently underway. The proposed membership model is detailed within the Homelessness Advisory Committee Terms of Reference as per Agenda Item 13.1 in today's Agenda. The City of Launceston continues to work with the community and those in the sector to address the complex issue of homelessness. Short term outcomes and resources have been delivered through the provision of portable toilets at locations around the City and the extension of operating hours of the Council's owned and operated shower and toilet facilities. A portable shower unit is on order which will be allocated to an appropriate site upon arrival. The Council's officers continue to engage with the homeless community and service providers via the Homelessness Response Committee. The City of Launceston continues to proactively engage with State and Federal Governments along with a range of service providers to identify potential options to address the housing needs of the City. These conversations are ongoing with a variety of options being discussed at various levels. City of Launceston Council Meeting Agenda Thursday 16 June 2022 Page 26 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Public Questions on Notice - Ray Norman - Homelessness Action Plan [8.1.9.1 - 1 page]

The primary purpose of the Homelessness Advisory Committee is to: 

• enable a collaborative approach between key sector service providers, community members and relevant levels of government in addressing the short, medium and long-term needs of Launceston's homeless community. 

•  identify, support and coordinate achievable actions which will assist in addressing the evolving needs of Launceston's homeless community. 

•  develop a greater and shared understanding of the roles, responsibilities and priorities within the community in responding to homelessness. City of Launceston Council Meeting Minutes Thursday 16 June 2022 .

OBJECTIVES: 

The objectives of the Homelessness Advisory Committee are to: 

• provide a communicative link between the Council and relevant stakeholders; 

•  provide advice and make recommendations to the Council on issues and matters relating to homelessness; 

• facilitate response to issues as raised through the appropriate response agency; 

• develop a Homelessness Action Plan that will guide a commitment to addressing the needs of Launceston's homeless community;  provide recommendations on methods and techniques to better inform and engage the community on homelessness issues; and 

• provide advocacy for the needs of Launceston's homeless community. 

MEMBERSHIP: 

The Homelessness Advisory Committee will include two City of Launceston Councillors, nominated and endorsed by Council, one of whom will be the Chair. The Committee will include one representative from each of the following agencies: 

• Launceston City Mission 

• St Vincent de Paul Society 

• Anglicare Tasmania  Tasmania Police 

•  The Salvation Army 

• Shekinah House 

• Department of Communities Tasmania 

The Committee will also include up to four community member representatives considered by the Committee to have appropriate expertise and experience to contribute to the aims of the Committee and appointed by Council. 

The Committee will be supported by: 

• General Manager Community and Place Network 

• Team Leader Community Development 

• One Council Administration Officer

HOW THE COMMITTEE WILL OPERATE: 

The Homelessness Advisory Committee: 

•  is an advisory body that provides non-binding strategic guidance to the Council. The Committee does not have delegated authority from Council. 

• will be coordinated by a Council officer. 

•  may establish working groups as needed to address specific projects and may include additional people from the community where there is a specific need. 

CODE OF CONDUCT: 

Agency and community committee members must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Members of Special Committees. Councillors and the Council's Officers must also adhere to their relevant Code of Conduct. Members will demonstrate our values in actions. City of Launceston is a values-based organisation and we expect the members of our advisory committees to support our values.

............................

City of Launceston Council passed motion for homeless advisory committee Caitlin Jarvis By Caitlin Jarvis June 19 2022 - 3:30am

'Shared voice' [?????] to drive changes for Launceston's homeless community People with lived experience or service providers working with the vulnerable in our community are being sought for a new advisory committee to coordinate Launceston's response to the growing problem of homelessness. [NB no evidence of people in housing distress with real world experience being engaged with, people with real world, real time experience] ........................... A notice of motion to approve the terms of reference for the new homelessness advisory board was approved during last week's City of Launceston June Council meeting. ........................... The motion was moved by deputy Mayor Danny Gibson who said the council was not there to "fix homelessness." ........................... READ MORE: Tasmanian Ratepayers Association says Launceston's Question Time Policy is about transparency ........................... "The reality is that there will never be enough support...we can't fix homelessness, but what we can do is present ideas and solutions with a shared voice," Cr Gibson said. [This little more than patronising platitudesI IF it is the case, turn the committee into a housing committee and work towards alleviating  housing distress!]........................... The new advisory committee will bring service providers such as City Mission, Shekinah House, Anglicare, St Vincent de Paul along with bodies such as the Department of Communities Tasmania and Tasmania Police together with the council to provide coordinated strategies. [No evidence or acknowledgement that 'homeless people' have expertise to offer]........................... Questions with notice were also submitted by Launceston resident Ray Norman, who asked the council a series of questions related to homelessness, including an update on the committee and what the council was doing in the immediate term to provide safe spaces. ........................... "The transition from the existing homelessness response committee to the new homelessness advisory committee is currently underway," council general manager Dan Ryan wrote in the agenda. ........................... "Short term outcomes and resources have been delivered through the provision of portable toilets at locations around the city and the extension of operating hours of the council's owned and operated shower and toilet facilities. A portable shower unit is on order which will be allocated to an appropriate site upon arrival," he said.[All very well but the word in the streets is to do with where are they etc. and the level of disengagement is worrisome] ........................... Councillor Andrea Dawkins, who indicated she would put her hand up to be the council's member on the advisory committee, said providing dignity to people who were living rough was paramount. [All well and good but what expertise is in evidence to do more wring her hands and project good will]  ........................... "Obviously it's incredibly important for local government to step into this space, we give a new view," she said. [Actually, given Council's budget to engage 'experts' in order to make appropriate decisions and on the evidence that is NOT on the  agenda]........................... "It's understandable that to some degree people can become immune, but the provision of dignity is most important." [AGAIN ...This little more than patronising platitudesI IF it is the case, turn the committee into a housing committee and work towards alleviating  housing distress!]........................... Four spaces on the committee have been allocated for members of the community, or those who provide lived experience with homelessness, to help drive conversations around how best to respond to the issue. [AGAIN this little more than patronising platitudesI IF it is the case, turn the committee into a housing committee and work towards alleviating  housing distress! Where are the architects, the eco building businesses, the environmental planning advisers, etc. etc.] ........................... Cr Gibson said the committee had also had preliminary talks with the West Tamar Council about their involvement in a regional approach. It's understood West Tamar is experiencing it's own issues with homelessness as a growing problem in the region. [IF it is the case, turn the committee into a housing committee and work towards alleviating  housing distress! ]  ........................... Homelessness has become a lot more visible in the past 12 months, with Launceston's "tent city" established near Royal Park. Tents are also popping up in public places such as the Cimitiere Street car park at the Verge Hotel, along with City Park. ........................... Councillor Tim Walker, said he hoped the committee would bring in revolutionary solutions to the problem used around the country and the world. ........................... "It's a changing market, [ OH MY GOODNESS] for lack of a better word, in terms of service providers who work in this area, but we still have a growing problem," Cr Walker said. ........................... The motion passed unanimously at the council meeting. [AND THIS COMMITTEE will meet in camera and the public will not be allowed to discover what is being deliberated upon]