24/11/2009
The Bass Electorate Housing Forum, organised by Mr Smith, was attended by community groups, government agencies, politicians and those desperate for affordable housing in the town.
There was a palpable sense of anger and disbelief among those who attended, especially as many of the attendees had travelled from far away to be there.
“John Duscher (Bass Coast Council mayor) put his head in and made an apology that he could not attend, but he was the only councillor or council officer who was prepared to even put in an apology,” Mr Smith said.
“We had people come all the way down from Cardinia, yet we couldn’t even get people to come down the hill. I just wished they could have sat there and listened to the problems of the people. Why weren’t some of those socalled caring councillors there?
“Where was Alan Bawden, the chief executive? He could at least have sent someone down or come down himself. I’ve got to wonder what this council’s on about. They reckon they’re the carers of the people, but the truth of the matter is the forum we had set up today has been happening for about a month and a half – they all had invitations to attend but didn’t bother.”
Mr Smith said there was “obviously something wrong with these people with their lack of caring for the people in their community”.
Council’s social planner, Jeanette Draper was supposed to speak at the event, cancelled in the days before.
Council CEO Alan Bawden said the organisation has been studying the problem and was due to release a report in the coming weeks.
He rejected assertions by Mr Smith that council didn’t care.
“If I’d been available I would have been going. I’m certainly hopeful Ken will give us some feedback on what was discussed. Many of the agency we’ve had discussions with in recent months were there,” he said.
Mr Smith said the forum was organised because of a worsening crisis in affordable housing in the region, with revelations that some low income tenants had been evicted to make way for cashed-up desalination plant workers.
“We, from time to time, get people coming in to my office in Wonthaggi, looking for housing. GippsCare and people from the Salvation Army came to see me and we had a meeting. They talked to us about the problems they had placing people in accommodation,” he said.
Mr Smith said the crisis had become so bad that the only place emergency accommodation could be found for the potential tenants was the Miners Rest Motor Inn in Wonthaggi.
“That’s the only place that will have them. Agents won’t have anything to do with people who need help with the Salvos or GippsCare, because they don’t want problem tenants,” he said.
“So they never have anything available.”
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