‘Providing services to people who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless’
GippsCare provides housing and support services to homeless individuals and families, or those at risk of homelessness, in their transition from crisis to independent, secure and safe accommodation.
Young people
Women and children escaping family violence
Families, including sole parent families
Single men
Single women
Support services are provided within a case management framework, which includes assessment, referral, information and support, and are available from the Bass Coast and South Gippsland Shires.
Social Housing Services are located at Leongatha and Warragul and provide assistance to people in the Bass Coast, South Gippsland, and Baw Baw Shires.
GippsCare facilitates linkages to community services and resources, and works with other service providers to establish a coordinated response to client needs.
Team members also provide an outreach service to clients who can be visited at an agreed location.
Offices are strategically located at Leongatha, Wonthaggi and Warragul, outreaching to Bass, Corinella, Cowes, Foster, Inverloch, Korumburra, Nyora and Tarwin Lower.
GippsCare Services:
The following programs are provided by GippsCare:
Adolescent Community Placement (ACP)
Cross Target Transitional Support Service
Domestic Violence Outreach Service (DVOS)
GippsCare Social Housing Service (GSHS)
Tenancy Information Services
Contacts:
Head Office / Administration
PO Box 126
51a McCartin Street
Leongatha VIC 3953
Phone: (03) 5662 4502 (03) 5662 4502 or 1800 221 200 1800 221 200
Fax: (03) 5662 4589
SESN Head Office (Frankston)
Management / Administration enquiries
Phone: (03) 9770 5399 (03) 9770 5399
Fax: (03) 9770 5314
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Minister's gaffe on public housing waiting lists
SARAH-JANE COLLINS AND PAUL AUSTIN
February 18, 2010
THE state government has made an embarrassing election-year gaffe on public housing waiting lists, falsely claiming they had gone down across Victoria.
In fact, official government figures show the lists have gone up in parts of the state.
Releasing the latest figures yesterday, Housing Minister Richard Wynne correctly said they showed an overall drop in the number of people waiting for public housing, but wrongly said the lists had shortened in all eight regions across the state.
After the Opposition seized on the errors, Mr Wynne issued amended statements conceding that in Gippsland and the Grampians the number of people waiting for housing had risen.
His original press release for Gippsland said: ''The waiting list across this region for the December quarter is 5 per cent lower than the previous quarter.'' Within hours, he issued an amended release, acknowledging that in fact the list had risen by 5 per cent.
Mr Wynne made the same mistake about the Grampians, originally saying its waiting list had fallen 0.8 per cent, then conceding it had gone up by that amount. In his corrected statements, he said the government ''remains committed to putting a roof over the heads of our most vulnerable Victorians''.
He said the government was ''undertaking the largest house-building program in Victoria's history to help meet the growing demand for public housing''.
Mr Wynne's spokeswoman, Rebecca Tucker, said the incorrect statements were the result of ''human error'' and had not been made intentionally.
''The error was made by a member of staff within the minister's office and importantly the error has been fixed,'' she said.
But the gaffe is particularly embarrassing for the government because it comes only days after Premier John Brumby accused Ted Baillieu of misleading people and talking ''bulldust'' after the opposition leader issued a media release on crime statistics that had an incorrect headline.
After Mr Baillieu corrected the mistake within hours, Mr Brumby said the Liberals had ''egg all over their face'' and accused them of doctoring official police statistics.
''It raises the issue as to how many other so-called facts the Liberal Party has put out … are also untrue,'' Mr Brumby said.
Opposition housing spokeswoman Wendy Lovell last night said Mr Wynne's errors showed he was not up to the job. ''It's all pointing to an incompetent minister,'' she said.
The spat came as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged federal opposition leader Tony Abbott to pledge bipartisan support to a government target to halve homelessness.
Announcing the government would allocate another $10 million to help homeless people with severe mental illness, Mr Rudd said: ''We are dead-set determined to meet our target of halving homelessness by 2020.''
Mr Abbott on Tuesday said it was difficult to commit to targets when achieving them depended on things over which the government had no control.
If the State Housing Minister cant even get the figures right then how in the hell are we supposed to be able to resolve the lack of lowcost housing in the Basscoast?
February 18, 2010
THE state government has made an embarrassing election-year gaffe on public housing waiting lists, falsely claiming they had gone down across Victoria.
In fact, official government figures show the lists have gone up in parts of the state.
Releasing the latest figures yesterday, Housing Minister Richard Wynne correctly said they showed an overall drop in the number of people waiting for public housing, but wrongly said the lists had shortened in all eight regions across the state.
After the Opposition seized on the errors, Mr Wynne issued amended statements conceding that in Gippsland and the Grampians the number of people waiting for housing had risen.
His original press release for Gippsland said: ''The waiting list across this region for the December quarter is 5 per cent lower than the previous quarter.'' Within hours, he issued an amended release, acknowledging that in fact the list had risen by 5 per cent.
Mr Wynne made the same mistake about the Grampians, originally saying its waiting list had fallen 0.8 per cent, then conceding it had gone up by that amount. In his corrected statements, he said the government ''remains committed to putting a roof over the heads of our most vulnerable Victorians''.
He said the government was ''undertaking the largest house-building program in Victoria's history to help meet the growing demand for public housing''.
Mr Wynne's spokeswoman, Rebecca Tucker, said the incorrect statements were the result of ''human error'' and had not been made intentionally.
''The error was made by a member of staff within the minister's office and importantly the error has been fixed,'' she said.
But the gaffe is particularly embarrassing for the government because it comes only days after Premier John Brumby accused Ted Baillieu of misleading people and talking ''bulldust'' after the opposition leader issued a media release on crime statistics that had an incorrect headline.
After Mr Baillieu corrected the mistake within hours, Mr Brumby said the Liberals had ''egg all over their face'' and accused them of doctoring official police statistics.
''It raises the issue as to how many other so-called facts the Liberal Party has put out … are also untrue,'' Mr Brumby said.
Opposition housing spokeswoman Wendy Lovell last night said Mr Wynne's errors showed he was not up to the job. ''It's all pointing to an incompetent minister,'' she said.
The spat came as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged federal opposition leader Tony Abbott to pledge bipartisan support to a government target to halve homelessness.
Announcing the government would allocate another $10 million to help homeless people with severe mental illness, Mr Rudd said: ''We are dead-set determined to meet our target of halving homelessness by 2020.''
Mr Abbott on Tuesday said it was difficult to commit to targets when achieving them depended on things over which the government had no control.
If the State Housing Minister cant even get the figures right then how in the hell are we supposed to be able to resolve the lack of lowcost housing in the Basscoast?
Desalantion - How much will it cost?
Dispite the State Government claiming $3.5 billion, the chairman of the company building and operating the plant says $ 4.8 billion, all from our water bills and taxes. This means water from the plant must cost at least five times what we get from Melbourne water now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UsEFhl_DdI)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UsEFhl_DdI)
Housing Hardship on the Bass Coast - more desal impacts
If you know anybody in this kind of situation please call Jessica on 0407 307231 or 0407 307231,
or if you have evidence of specific locations where people have been dislodged
from their accommodation, and replaced by desal workers please call
Maurice on 0419 552385 or 0419 552385.
from their accommodation, and replaced by desal workers please call
Maurice on 0419 552385 or 0419 552385.
Maurice is also looking for a copy of the EMP (Environmental Monitoring Plan) that is
supposed to exist for the works underway at present, should you happen to know
where a copy could be found.
supposed to exist for the works underway at present, should you happen to know
where a copy could be found.
http://www.watershedvictoria.org.au/content/category/media-centre/
+-+Copy.jpg)
This is where I live, Tim Holding should leave it alone !!!!
ONCE TIM HOLDING STARTS PUMPING PURE SALT BACK
INTO THE OCEAN ?
Marine expert hits desal claim
The Age
PETER KER
January 17, 2009 .
THE marine expert who dared to challenge the State Government over the environmental impact of the Wonthaggi desalination plant has complained of unfair treatment and misrepresentation in last week's approval report.
Flinders University oceanographer Dr Jochen Kaempf has reacted angrily to a review of the desalination environmental effects statement, which implied he had conceded an argument over marine health.
During public hearings, Dr Kaempf challenged the Government's preferred oceanographer, Dr Kerry Black, over the project's impact on the nearby marine environment.
In a technical argument about the behaviour of currents around the plant's waste pipe, Dr Kaempf said the risk of damage to the marine environment from the warm, salty wastes was greater than Dr Black predicted.
But a Government review panel produced a report that included a paragraph from a Government lawyer claiming Dr Kaempf had "ultimately accepted" that Dr Black's work was sound and based on conservative models.
Dr Kaempf rejected that claim this week.
"I have not accepted that key assumptions in Dr Black's model were conservative and I have not made any statements in this sense," he said.
"I strongly protest against the use of my name in unauthorised statements."
The panel's report said Dr Kaempf had also not considered several other "important assumptions".
Dr Kaempf said he remained convinced that Dr Black had overestimated the marine environment's ability to absorb wastes, and that environmental damage would exceed official projections.
Dr Kaempf also criticised the "aggressive style of cross-examination" he encountered at the hearings, and hoped scientific experts would be treated with more respect in future.
He was undecided on whether he should pursue legal action.
The report's authors, Kathryn Mitchell, Nick Wimbush, Chris Harty, Garth Lampe and Greg Sharpley, declined to comment when asked if they had felt political pressure when compiling it.
Department of Planning and Community Development spokesman Seamus Haugh said: "It is policy that inquiries, advisory committees and panels do not comment publicly on their reports to the Planning Minister."
The Government will choose a private consortium to build the plant in coming months, but one of the two remaining bidders has suffered an embarrassing setback in Queensland.
The new Gold Coast desalination plant was due to open on Thursday, but the Queensland Government refused to accept the handover of the plant, citing problems with valves, corrosion and faulty pipes.
The consortium building the Gold Coast plant includes Veolia Water and John Holland, which are partners in the Basswater consortium bidding for the Wonthaggi contract.
John Holland said the Queensland problems should not damage its Victorian bid. "As most of these issues have resulted from supplier defects, the companies … do not expect any of these supplier-related issues to impact on their ability to successfully deliver the Melbourne, Adelaide or Sydney desalination projects," the company said.
PETER KER
January 17, 2009 .
THE marine expert who dared to challenge the State Government over the environmental impact of the Wonthaggi desalination plant has complained of unfair treatment and misrepresentation in last week's approval report.
Flinders University oceanographer Dr Jochen Kaempf has reacted angrily to a review of the desalination environmental effects statement, which implied he had conceded an argument over marine health.
During public hearings, Dr Kaempf challenged the Government's preferred oceanographer, Dr Kerry Black, over the project's impact on the nearby marine environment.
In a technical argument about the behaviour of currents around the plant's waste pipe, Dr Kaempf said the risk of damage to the marine environment from the warm, salty wastes was greater than Dr Black predicted.
But a Government review panel produced a report that included a paragraph from a Government lawyer claiming Dr Kaempf had "ultimately accepted" that Dr Black's work was sound and based on conservative models.
Dr Kaempf rejected that claim this week.
"I have not accepted that key assumptions in Dr Black's model were conservative and I have not made any statements in this sense," he said.
"I strongly protest against the use of my name in unauthorised statements."
The panel's report said Dr Kaempf had also not considered several other "important assumptions".
Dr Kaempf said he remained convinced that Dr Black had overestimated the marine environment's ability to absorb wastes, and that environmental damage would exceed official projections.
Dr Kaempf also criticised the "aggressive style of cross-examination" he encountered at the hearings, and hoped scientific experts would be treated with more respect in future.
He was undecided on whether he should pursue legal action.
The report's authors, Kathryn Mitchell, Nick Wimbush, Chris Harty, Garth Lampe and Greg Sharpley, declined to comment when asked if they had felt political pressure when compiling it.
Department of Planning and Community Development spokesman Seamus Haugh said: "It is policy that inquiries, advisory committees and panels do not comment publicly on their reports to the Planning Minister."
The Government will choose a private consortium to build the plant in coming months, but one of the two remaining bidders has suffered an embarrassing setback in Queensland.
The new Gold Coast desalination plant was due to open on Thursday, but the Queensland Government refused to accept the handover of the plant, citing problems with valves, corrosion and faulty pipes.
The consortium building the Gold Coast plant includes Veolia Water and John Holland, which are partners in the Basswater consortium bidding for the Wonthaggi contract.
John Holland said the Queensland problems should not damage its Victorian bid. "As most of these issues have resulted from supplier defects, the companies … do not expect any of these supplier-related issues to impact on their ability to successfully deliver the Melbourne, Adelaide or Sydney desalination projects," the company said.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
WIN NEWS Our story on housing crisis.
Win News
PUSHED OUT
Wednesday 10, Feb 2010
Renters Joanne, Barry and Lisa Roughead have lived in Inverloch for the past seven years.
While rents have increased incrementally over that time, the family members say when their current rental is sold by the owners in April, soaring rents mean they'll have to leave the town they call home.
"We can't afford to stay, and I feel we are being forced out due to the rents being so high." Said Joanne Roughead.
While the Rougheads agree it's the owner's right to sell the property, they say finding another home within their budget, is proving difficult.
"It's their total right to sell the property we are in, my argument actually is that we have nowhere to go." She said.
They put it down to the influx of cashed-up temporary workers at Wonthaggi's desalination plant.
Bass Coast Shire CEO Alan Bawden says housing affordability has been a growing problem, only made worse by construction of the desalination plant.
"What we are seeing is an ongoing increase in land and rental values that probably exceeds average wage increases." Said Alan Bawden, CEO Bass Coast Shire Council.
The Victorian Tenants Union says stories, like the Roughead family's, are being reported everyday. A union spokesperson described the the behaviour of some landlords and rental agents as ''shark-like'' with some reportedly resorting to intimidation to force up rental prices.
"Very. Very unfair. There's a lot of people being pushed out when they shouldn't be." Said Lisa Roughead.
A housing accord was signed earlier this year by the council and local estate agents, pledging to keep rents low.
A State Government spokesperson today said affordability is not a government issue.
PUSHED OUT
Wednesday 10, Feb 2010
Renters Joanne, Barry and Lisa Roughead have lived in Inverloch for the past seven years.
While rents have increased incrementally over that time, the family members say when their current rental is sold by the owners in April, soaring rents mean they'll have to leave the town they call home.
"We can't afford to stay, and I feel we are being forced out due to the rents being so high." Said Joanne Roughead.
While the Rougheads agree it's the owner's right to sell the property, they say finding another home within their budget, is proving difficult.
"It's their total right to sell the property we are in, my argument actually is that we have nowhere to go." She said.
They put it down to the influx of cashed-up temporary workers at Wonthaggi's desalination plant.
Bass Coast Shire CEO Alan Bawden says housing affordability has been a growing problem, only made worse by construction of the desalination plant.
"What we are seeing is an ongoing increase in land and rental values that probably exceeds average wage increases." Said Alan Bawden, CEO Bass Coast Shire Council.
The Victorian Tenants Union says stories, like the Roughead family's, are being reported everyday. A union spokesperson described the the behaviour of some landlords and rental agents as ''shark-like'' with some reportedly resorting to intimidation to force up rental prices.
"Very. Very unfair. There's a lot of people being pushed out when they shouldn't be." Said Lisa Roughead.
A housing accord was signed earlier this year by the council and local estate agents, pledging to keep rents low.
A State Government spokesperson today said affordability is not a government issue.
Basscoast Affordable Housing Study No 2
Ref: Basscoast Council Website
12 November 2009
Bass Coast Shire Council is undertaking an Affordable Housing Study to monitor the impact of the Desalination Project on accommodation in the region.
Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden, said the Study proposed by Council responded specifically to concerns raised in the Environment Effects Statement.
“The study, which is the first of its kind, will provide a comprehensive picture of all housing types, including emergency and crisis accommodation,” explained Mr Bawden.
“It will also include recommendations to address or prevent any potential negative impacts."
“We had already begun working on the study, so we are very pleased to have secured a grant of $97,000 from the Department of Sustainability and Environment to help with the project.”
Council will conduct the Affordable Housing study in three stages.
“Stage one actually began in August and involves a review of the existing Bass Coast Shire Council Housing Policy and Affordable Housing Strategy put together in 2005,” said Mr Bawden.
“This will give us a clear picture of the state of housing before construction began on the desalination plant."
“The final report of Stage one will be available to the public in December 2009.”
Stage two of the study (October 2010 - March 2011) will report on the housing situation in Bass Coast through the peak construction period.
Stage three (June 2012- August 2012) will contain an analysis of the impact of the construction of the desalination plant on long term housing in Bass Coast Shire.
“In all our submissions to the Government over the Desalination Project, Council has consistently raised concerns about the potential impact accommodation demands from the desalination workforce could have on our community,” stressed Mr Bawden.
“We were particularly focused on the long term rental market and ensuring that residents still had access to affordable housing."
“This is the second round of funding from the Government in response to our concerns,” Mr Bawden confirmed.
“Previously the Government supplied funding for Council to undertake a survey of holiday home owners, to see if we could open up new sources of rental accommodation for the desalination workforce.
“We needed to ensure the current long term rentals remain available and that our tourist accommodation is available to drive our local tourism economy. Over 500 landlords responded to our survey,” said Mr Bawden.
“These properties will be managed by local estate agents who have agreed to the Housing Accord and will now be displayed on a website that has been set up specifically to provide accommodation for the desalination workforce.”
Mr Bawden said the Housing Accord had been put together to ensure there was sufficient new housing to meet the needs of the desalination workforce over the next two years.
“Council, AquaSure and State Government Departments (DSE, DPCD and DHS) and local estate agents have all endorsed the Housing Accord,” said Mr Bawden.
“I am confident that every effort has been made to protect the availability of affordable housing for the local community.”
The basscoast Council are denying making any money off the desal plants construction yet here we have a government grant for a housing study and also a $10,000 dollar profit make from the desal plants accomodation website so even though Cr Paul denys any money has been made by the Council, it really has made money, hasnt it?
12 November 2009
Bass Coast Shire Council is undertaking an Affordable Housing Study to monitor the impact of the Desalination Project on accommodation in the region.
Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden, said the Study proposed by Council responded specifically to concerns raised in the Environment Effects Statement.
“The study, which is the first of its kind, will provide a comprehensive picture of all housing types, including emergency and crisis accommodation,” explained Mr Bawden.
“It will also include recommendations to address or prevent any potential negative impacts."
“We had already begun working on the study, so we are very pleased to have secured a grant of $97,000 from the Department of Sustainability and Environment to help with the project.”
Council will conduct the Affordable Housing study in three stages.
“Stage one actually began in August and involves a review of the existing Bass Coast Shire Council Housing Policy and Affordable Housing Strategy put together in 2005,” said Mr Bawden.
“This will give us a clear picture of the state of housing before construction began on the desalination plant."
“The final report of Stage one will be available to the public in December 2009.”
Stage two of the study (October 2010 - March 2011) will report on the housing situation in Bass Coast through the peak construction period.
Stage three (June 2012- August 2012) will contain an analysis of the impact of the construction of the desalination plant on long term housing in Bass Coast Shire.
“In all our submissions to the Government over the Desalination Project, Council has consistently raised concerns about the potential impact accommodation demands from the desalination workforce could have on our community,” stressed Mr Bawden.
“We were particularly focused on the long term rental market and ensuring that residents still had access to affordable housing."
“This is the second round of funding from the Government in response to our concerns,” Mr Bawden confirmed.
“Previously the Government supplied funding for Council to undertake a survey of holiday home owners, to see if we could open up new sources of rental accommodation for the desalination workforce.
“We needed to ensure the current long term rentals remain available and that our tourist accommodation is available to drive our local tourism economy. Over 500 landlords responded to our survey,” said Mr Bawden.
“These properties will be managed by local estate agents who have agreed to the Housing Accord and will now be displayed on a website that has been set up specifically to provide accommodation for the desalination workforce.”
Mr Bawden said the Housing Accord had been put together to ensure there was sufficient new housing to meet the needs of the desalination workforce over the next two years.
“Council, AquaSure and State Government Departments (DSE, DPCD and DHS) and local estate agents have all endorsed the Housing Accord,” said Mr Bawden.
“I am confident that every effort has been made to protect the availability of affordable housing for the local community.”
The basscoast Council are denying making any money off the desal plants construction yet here we have a government grant for a housing study and also a $10,000 dollar profit make from the desal plants accomodation website so even though Cr Paul denys any money has been made by the Council, it really has made money, hasnt it?
Opponents of the Wonthaggi desalination Plants construction.
ABC Gippsland
January 19, 2010
Opponents of the Wonthaggi desalination plant says the Victorian Government is deliberately understating the cost of desalinated water.
A mathematics lecturer at Melbourne University says he was unable to calculate the cost of water from the plant, because the Government had blacked-out key equations in its costings.
WaterShed's Stephen Cannon says the Government has stated that water from the plant will cost about $1.37 per kilolitre.
He says that is an unrealistic estimate.
"There's no way that Melbourne will ever need sufficient water to warrant the continuous running of this 150 gigalitre plant for the project life of 30 years and so to base a cost on that scenario is to understate the real cost that Victorians will pay for water," he said.
Meanwhile, the Bass Coast Shire says an influx of desalination workers will not push up rental prices in the shire. It has launched a website which lists holiday houses available for lease to desalination workers.
CEO Allen Bawden says there are about 10,000 holiday houses in the shire, and there will not be a big increase in competition in the rental market."We thought it would be quite achievable to free up say 500 houses for the desalination workers," he said.
"We're satisfied that we've got over 600 landlords interested at this stage, so we're pretty confident that we're going to meet the needs of the project without unduly impacting on the existing private rental market or the short-term holiday market."
Really, Mr Bawden, then I suggest you come over to Inverloch and speak to those already being forced out of their homes for desal workers.
Locals are being forced to move by Notices to vacate and illegal rent increases and what is your council doing about it, absolutely nothing and you have had 3 yrs to prepare for this rental crisis. No more excuses just do something !
January 19, 2010
Opponents of the Wonthaggi desalination plant says the Victorian Government is deliberately understating the cost of desalinated water.
A mathematics lecturer at Melbourne University says he was unable to calculate the cost of water from the plant, because the Government had blacked-out key equations in its costings.
WaterShed's Stephen Cannon says the Government has stated that water from the plant will cost about $1.37 per kilolitre.
He says that is an unrealistic estimate.
"There's no way that Melbourne will ever need sufficient water to warrant the continuous running of this 150 gigalitre plant for the project life of 30 years and so to base a cost on that scenario is to understate the real cost that Victorians will pay for water," he said.
Meanwhile, the Bass Coast Shire says an influx of desalination workers will not push up rental prices in the shire. It has launched a website which lists holiday houses available for lease to desalination workers.
CEO Allen Bawden says there are about 10,000 holiday houses in the shire, and there will not be a big increase in competition in the rental market."We thought it would be quite achievable to free up say 500 houses for the desalination workers," he said.
"We're satisfied that we've got over 600 landlords interested at this stage, so we're pretty confident that we're going to meet the needs of the project without unduly impacting on the existing private rental market or the short-term holiday market."
Really, Mr Bawden, then I suggest you come over to Inverloch and speak to those already being forced out of their homes for desal workers.
Locals are being forced to move by Notices to vacate and illegal rent increases and what is your council doing about it, absolutely nothing and you have had 3 yrs to prepare for this rental crisis. No more excuses just do something !
Basscoast Housing Study, No 3 - Completed.
January 28, 2010
ABC Gippsland.
A study has found there is a lack of crisis accommodation in the Bass Coast Shire.
The shire has commissioned a study to assess how an influx of desalination plant workers will affect the housing market.
The council's CEO, Allan Bawden, says the study has found residents in emergency situations are relying on the private rental market and caravan parks.
"One of the conclusions of this study is that we need to concentrate on the needs of that group talk to some of the government agencies and community housing associations that might be able to assist in providing better access to that sort of accommodation," he said.
"NO SHIT SHERLOCK !" Is the Basscoast Council really this stupid ?
ABC Gippsland.
A study has found there is a lack of crisis accommodation in the Bass Coast Shire.
The shire has commissioned a study to assess how an influx of desalination plant workers will affect the housing market.
The council's CEO, Allan Bawden, says the study has found residents in emergency situations are relying on the private rental market and caravan parks.
"One of the conclusions of this study is that we need to concentrate on the needs of that group talk to some of the government agencies and community housing associations that might be able to assist in providing better access to that sort of accommodation," he said.
"NO SHIT SHERLOCK !" Is the Basscoast Council really this stupid ?
Bass Coast considers affordability in housing strategy
Friday, 7 October 2005. ABC News online
Affordability and livability in the Bass Coast Shire is the focus of a new housing strategy.
In the past four years, the shire has withstood rapid population growth and a rise in median house prices from $99,000 $223,000.
Shire chief executive Alan Bawden says council will be encouraging the private sector to work with not-for-profit groups to ensure new developments offer a greater mix of housing.Mr Bawden says affordable housing is an issue affecting all sectors of the community."For not only, perhaps, retirees who've traditionally wanted to move into the area, but for the children of local residents who would like to be able to stay in the area and purchase but also we're also seeing some increasing difficulty for, say, workers coming into the area to be able to buy or rent at affordable prices," he said.
This really makes me mad ! The Basscoast council have had full knowledge of the Housing Crisis for 5 years and have not done anything to improve it.
When will they take responsibility for those disadvantaged being displaced by the desal plants construction ?
Affordability and livability in the Bass Coast Shire is the focus of a new housing strategy.
In the past four years, the shire has withstood rapid population growth and a rise in median house prices from $99,000 $223,000.
Shire chief executive Alan Bawden says council will be encouraging the private sector to work with not-for-profit groups to ensure new developments offer a greater mix of housing.Mr Bawden says affordable housing is an issue affecting all sectors of the community."For not only, perhaps, retirees who've traditionally wanted to move into the area, but for the children of local residents who would like to be able to stay in the area and purchase but also we're also seeing some increasing difficulty for, say, workers coming into the area to be able to buy or rent at affordable prices," he said.
This really makes me mad ! The Basscoast council have had full knowledge of the Housing Crisis for 5 years and have not done anything to improve it.
When will they take responsibility for those disadvantaged being displaced by the desal plants construction ?
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Age Newspaper
The Age Newspaper contacted me today & would like to do a story on this group and the desal housing crisis, so if u want your story heard then send them in ! Also if you have any friends stories too we love to hear them.
Tenants to air worker influx worries
Posted February 16, 2010
The Tenants Union of Victoria is visiting Wonthaggi today to hear from residents negatively
impacted by the influx of desalination workers.
The Bass Coast Council's CEO, Allan Bawden, says there have been reports of large
rent increases and some tenants have also been unable to renew their lease.
Mr Bawden says some of the tenants have complained to the council, but the council
cannot get directly involved.
"We're not privy to the terms of their lease or what has gone on during the lease so that's why it's
best for an independent body such as the tenants' union to come down and be able to deal with
individual cases," he said.
The Tenants Union of Victoria is visiting Wonthaggi today to hear from residents negatively
impacted by the influx of desalination workers.
The Bass Coast Council's CEO, Allan Bawden, says there have been reports of large
rent increases and some tenants have also been unable to renew their lease.
Mr Bawden says some of the tenants have complained to the council, but the council
cannot get directly involved.
"We're not privy to the terms of their lease or what has gone on during the lease so that's why it's
best for an independent body such as the tenants' union to come down and be able to deal with
individual cases," he said.
Ken Smith’s Bass Coast blast
Ref: The Star Newspaper By Matt Dunn
24/11/2009
MEMBER for Bass, Ken Smith described Bass Coast Council’s no-show at a housing crisis forum in Wonthaggi last week as “disgraceful”.
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.”
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.”
Victorians to compensate failed desal bidder
August 1st, 2009
Catherine Best
Victorian taxpayers are set to pay millions of dollars to a multinational consortium in compensation for it losing a desalination bid.
The day after the contract to build and operate Australia’s largest desalination plant was awarded, Water Minister Tim Holding said the losing bidder was likely to be compensated.
The AquaSure consortium, led by French water company Degremont, has won the tender to build and operate the $3.5 billion plant on Victoria’s southeast coast.
Losing tenderer BassWater is set to receive up $10 million for its failed bid in a gesture Mr Holding described as modest and appropriate.
He said the government was still considering compensation and could not provide a payout figure.
“We’ll reflect carefully on that. It’s obviously not going to compensate the unsuccessful bidder for the full cost of their bid, which would have run to tens of millions of dollars.
“But something appropriate, possibly in the five-to-10 million dollar mark, but we’ll reflect on that. We haven’t made a decision yet but it’s not unusual for the government to make a payment like that in these circumstances.”
AquaSure chairman Tony Shepherd said his group’s bid cost $30 million and compensating his rival might “heal some of the wound”.
He said compensation was a good practice that encouraged competition in the market.
“The state has got a huge benefit out of the intense competition on this project and sharing a small portion of that with the losing bidder, I believe, is quite appropriate.”
But the opposition said the government needed to dangle a sweetener or risk having no bids for the project, which will ultimately be underwritten by taxpayers.
“Taxpayers are being hit both ways here, a massive slug in their water bills but also through their taxes being asked to underwrite the losing bidder,” opposition scrutiny of government spokesman David Davis said.
He said taxpayers would be angry and the money could be better spent on hospitals, schools and transport.
The government has agreed to go guarantor on the 150 billion litre project if AquaSure fails to secure more financial backers.
However, Mr Holding said this outcome was highly unlikely because the project was fully financed.
He reassured Victorians the public-private-partnership would deliver the best value for money.
Just how much value won’t be known until the public sector comparator is revealed later this year.
A spokesperson for BassWater could not be contacted.
This is an insult to those being displaced by this desal plants construction.
The Vic Government can compensate a failed bidder, but they cannot build
or provide any low cost housing for those of us being forced out, due to the ridiculos
rent rises we are experiancing.
This money could have been used to help those loosing their homes to relocate!
C'mon Mr Brumby cant you see whats wrong with this picture ?
Catherine Best
Victorian taxpayers are set to pay millions of dollars to a multinational consortium in compensation for it losing a desalination bid.
The day after the contract to build and operate Australia’s largest desalination plant was awarded, Water Minister Tim Holding said the losing bidder was likely to be compensated.
The AquaSure consortium, led by French water company Degremont, has won the tender to build and operate the $3.5 billion plant on Victoria’s southeast coast.
Losing tenderer BassWater is set to receive up $10 million for its failed bid in a gesture Mr Holding described as modest and appropriate.
He said the government was still considering compensation and could not provide a payout figure.
“We’ll reflect carefully on that. It’s obviously not going to compensate the unsuccessful bidder for the full cost of their bid, which would have run to tens of millions of dollars.
“But something appropriate, possibly in the five-to-10 million dollar mark, but we’ll reflect on that. We haven’t made a decision yet but it’s not unusual for the government to make a payment like that in these circumstances.”
AquaSure chairman Tony Shepherd said his group’s bid cost $30 million and compensating his rival might “heal some of the wound”.
He said compensation was a good practice that encouraged competition in the market.
“The state has got a huge benefit out of the intense competition on this project and sharing a small portion of that with the losing bidder, I believe, is quite appropriate.”
But the opposition said the government needed to dangle a sweetener or risk having no bids for the project, which will ultimately be underwritten by taxpayers.
“Taxpayers are being hit both ways here, a massive slug in their water bills but also through their taxes being asked to underwrite the losing bidder,” opposition scrutiny of government spokesman David Davis said.
He said taxpayers would be angry and the money could be better spent on hospitals, schools and transport.
The government has agreed to go guarantor on the 150 billion litre project if AquaSure fails to secure more financial backers.
However, Mr Holding said this outcome was highly unlikely because the project was fully financed.
He reassured Victorians the public-private-partnership would deliver the best value for money.
Just how much value won’t be known until the public sector comparator is revealed later this year.
A spokesperson for BassWater could not be contacted.
This is an insult to those being displaced by this desal plants construction.
The Vic Government can compensate a failed bidder, but they cannot build
or provide any low cost housing for those of us being forced out, due to the ridiculos
rent rises we are experiancing.
This money could have been used to help those loosing their homes to relocate!
C'mon Mr Brumby cant you see whats wrong with this picture ?
Doubts on Australia’s largest desal plant as construction races ahead
January 25th, 2010 by Tatiana Mijalica
CONSTRUCTION workers are just weeks away from starting to lay the 84km of pipeline for Australia’s largest desalination plant, with the $3.5 billion project on track for production next year.
The development of the controversial plant, located on Victoria’s east coast, has also led to a rise in real estate prices and rents in neighbouring towns as more than 500 workers head to the site by March.
But just 10 months out from the state election, some residents are concerned the town of Wonthaggi does not have the infrastructure to cope with the influx of people working on the project — a public-private partnership — and are still upset with how the Brumby government handled the development process.
“There certainly remains some disquiet and concerns about the development in the community,” said Nationals leader Peter Ryan, whose electorate borders the plant. “They feel they have been ambushed by the government and they will never forget it.”
The government awarded the tender in July to the AquaSure consortium — comprised of French company Degremont, local constructor Thiess and financier Macquarie — and construction began in October.
Taxpayers will foot $5.7bn for the project, which will pay for the construction of the 150-gigalitre plant and 150 billion litres of water a year for the next 30 years.
Critics have labelled the project as far too expensive and bad for the environment, but Water Minister Tim Holding said the desalination plant would be the state’s insurance policy against drought and climate change.
“Having a new source of water that is not dependent on rainfall, instead of relying almost exclusively on water from dams, will prove to be one of the biggest changes in urban water management in Victoria’s history,” he said.
Thiess Degremont project manager Greg Miller said they had been on the site for 100 days and had made good progress.
“We’ve got orders for the pipeline and power cable in place with local suppliers so we’re all set to start pipe laying over the coming weeks,” he said.
Source: The Australian
CONSTRUCTION workers are just weeks away from starting to lay the 84km of pipeline for Australia’s largest desalination plant, with the $3.5 billion project on track for production next year.
The development of the controversial plant, located on Victoria’s east coast, has also led to a rise in real estate prices and rents in neighbouring towns as more than 500 workers head to the site by March.
But just 10 months out from the state election, some residents are concerned the town of Wonthaggi does not have the infrastructure to cope with the influx of people working on the project — a public-private partnership — and are still upset with how the Brumby government handled the development process.
“There certainly remains some disquiet and concerns about the development in the community,” said Nationals leader Peter Ryan, whose electorate borders the plant. “They feel they have been ambushed by the government and they will never forget it.”
The government awarded the tender in July to the AquaSure consortium — comprised of French company Degremont, local constructor Thiess and financier Macquarie — and construction began in October.
Taxpayers will foot $5.7bn for the project, which will pay for the construction of the 150-gigalitre plant and 150 billion litres of water a year for the next 30 years.
Critics have labelled the project as far too expensive and bad for the environment, but Water Minister Tim Holding said the desalination plant would be the state’s insurance policy against drought and climate change.
“Having a new source of water that is not dependent on rainfall, instead of relying almost exclusively on water from dams, will prove to be one of the biggest changes in urban water management in Victoria’s history,” he said.
Thiess Degremont project manager Greg Miller said they had been on the site for 100 days and had made good progress.
“We’ve got orders for the pipeline and power cable in place with local suppliers so we’re all set to start pipe laying over the coming weeks,” he said.
Source: The Australian
Water charges are set to spiral in desalination squeeze
EXCLUSIVE: Natasha Bita From: The Australian
January 23, 2010 12:00AM
Source: The Australian
February 7th 2010
HOUSEHOLDS will pay hundreds of dollars extra for water as state governments splash $9 billion of taxpayer funds on energy-guzzling desalination plants that will produce nearly a third of capital-city supplies within two years.
The seawater purification “factories” - which can pump out enough drinking water each year to fill Sydney Harbour - will operate around the clock at taxpayer expense, even when high rainfall means their expensive output is not required.
Water utilities yesterday warned urban water prices would spiral in line with the rising cost of electricity needed to operate the massive plants in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
The Water Services Association of Australia, representing most of the urban water utilities nationally, estimated water providers would use up to four times as much electricity as they moved from dams to desalination.
“The cost of building desalination plants will be reflected in water prices across Australia,” executive director Ross Young told The Weekend Australian.
“Electricity prices are only going to go upwards, so operational costs are probably going to climb steadily.
“In places like Melbourne in the next four years (water) prices are going to double.”
By 2012, water bills for Sydneysiders will rise $103 a year purely to pay for the cost of running the city’s first desalination plant, costing $2.4bn, due to open at Kurnell within weeks.
Household water bills will soar nearly a third - from $663 to $904 - in the Melbourne metropolis over the next three years, once a $3.5bn plant - the nation’s biggest - comes online at the end of next year.
In southeast Queensland, where a $1.2bn desalination plant opened on the Gold Coast last year, water bills are forecast to rise about $60 annually until 2013.
In Adelaide, where a $1.83bn plant will open at the end of next year, water bills will increase $84 this year for an average household.
In Perth, which will open its second plant next year, the average household water bill will rise 10 per cent over the next three years, costing high-use households as much as $164 a year more.
Mr Young said higher bills would give consumers an incentive to save water.
“Any resource given away free is always exploited,” he said. “If water is priced too low there’s no incentive for conservation or to upgrade infrastructure.“We shouldn’t underestimate the power of a price signal.”
CSIRO urban water research division leader Alan Gregory said electricity made up a quarter of the total cost of building and running a desalination plant.
“Just the energy component alone will drive up the cost of water,” he said. “You haven’t got to be Einstein to work out that prices will go up. It’s unavoidable.”
A CSIRO analysis for the Water Services Association has found that desalination plants use seven times more electricity than conventional water treatment plants.
The research reveals that energy consumption by water utilities would rise 400 per cent if they switched entirely to desalination for city water supplies within 20 years.
Energy use would soar by 260 per cent if utilities sourced 40 per cent of their water from the ocean.
The National Water Commission has calculated that the running costs of a typical desalination plant would jump 16 per cent if an emissions trading scheme is introduced that prices carbon at $50 a tonne.
Critics of the states’ massive investment in desalination yesterday dismissed the technology as “financially risky”.
Stuart White, the director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, at the University of Technology, Sydney, said the desalination plants roped taxpayers and consumers into paying for water that might not always be necessary.
“Once you build them, there’s the imperative to operate them,” Mr White said yesterday.
“Sometimes (it’s) a contractual imperative . . . flat-out.”
In Sydney, where dams are now half-empty, the new Kurnell plant will run at full capacity for at least two years, regardless of rainfall levels.
Operators of the desalination plants are trying to douse the debate over greenhouse gas emissions by buying “green power” from sources such as wind farms. But in Western Australia, the government pricing watchdog has vetoed the Water Corporation’s plan to charge its consumers the extra cost of buying more expensive experimental green electricity to power Perth’s desalination plants.
The West Australian Economic Regulation Authority’s chairman, Lyndon Rowe, said yesterday the role of the Water Corporation was to “provide water to consumers at the least possible cost”.
“If a government itself wants to sponsor the research (into renewable energy) it’s fine, but it shouldn’t be a cost borne by water users,” he said. Mr Rowe likened desalination plants to “water factories”.
“We can produce all the water you like but it can’t be free,” Mr Rowe said.
“It should be paid for by the users, to encourage people to use water wisely.”
January 23, 2010 12:00AM
Source: The Australian
February 7th 2010
HOUSEHOLDS will pay hundreds of dollars extra for water as state governments splash $9 billion of taxpayer funds on energy-guzzling desalination plants that will produce nearly a third of capital-city supplies within two years.
The seawater purification “factories” - which can pump out enough drinking water each year to fill Sydney Harbour - will operate around the clock at taxpayer expense, even when high rainfall means their expensive output is not required.
Water utilities yesterday warned urban water prices would spiral in line with the rising cost of electricity needed to operate the massive plants in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
The Water Services Association of Australia, representing most of the urban water utilities nationally, estimated water providers would use up to four times as much electricity as they moved from dams to desalination.
“The cost of building desalination plants will be reflected in water prices across Australia,” executive director Ross Young told The Weekend Australian.
“Electricity prices are only going to go upwards, so operational costs are probably going to climb steadily.
“In places like Melbourne in the next four years (water) prices are going to double.”
By 2012, water bills for Sydneysiders will rise $103 a year purely to pay for the cost of running the city’s first desalination plant, costing $2.4bn, due to open at Kurnell within weeks.
Household water bills will soar nearly a third - from $663 to $904 - in the Melbourne metropolis over the next three years, once a $3.5bn plant - the nation’s biggest - comes online at the end of next year.
In southeast Queensland, where a $1.2bn desalination plant opened on the Gold Coast last year, water bills are forecast to rise about $60 annually until 2013.
In Adelaide, where a $1.83bn plant will open at the end of next year, water bills will increase $84 this year for an average household.
In Perth, which will open its second plant next year, the average household water bill will rise 10 per cent over the next three years, costing high-use households as much as $164 a year more.
Mr Young said higher bills would give consumers an incentive to save water.
“Any resource given away free is always exploited,” he said. “If water is priced too low there’s no incentive for conservation or to upgrade infrastructure.“We shouldn’t underestimate the power of a price signal.”
CSIRO urban water research division leader Alan Gregory said electricity made up a quarter of the total cost of building and running a desalination plant.
“Just the energy component alone will drive up the cost of water,” he said. “You haven’t got to be Einstein to work out that prices will go up. It’s unavoidable.”
A CSIRO analysis for the Water Services Association has found that desalination plants use seven times more electricity than conventional water treatment plants.
The research reveals that energy consumption by water utilities would rise 400 per cent if they switched entirely to desalination for city water supplies within 20 years.
Energy use would soar by 260 per cent if utilities sourced 40 per cent of their water from the ocean.
The National Water Commission has calculated that the running costs of a typical desalination plant would jump 16 per cent if an emissions trading scheme is introduced that prices carbon at $50 a tonne.
Critics of the states’ massive investment in desalination yesterday dismissed the technology as “financially risky”.
Stuart White, the director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, at the University of Technology, Sydney, said the desalination plants roped taxpayers and consumers into paying for water that might not always be necessary.
“Once you build them, there’s the imperative to operate them,” Mr White said yesterday.
“Sometimes (it’s) a contractual imperative . . . flat-out.”
In Sydney, where dams are now half-empty, the new Kurnell plant will run at full capacity for at least two years, regardless of rainfall levels.
Operators of the desalination plants are trying to douse the debate over greenhouse gas emissions by buying “green power” from sources such as wind farms. But in Western Australia, the government pricing watchdog has vetoed the Water Corporation’s plan to charge its consumers the extra cost of buying more expensive experimental green electricity to power Perth’s desalination plants.
The West Australian Economic Regulation Authority’s chairman, Lyndon Rowe, said yesterday the role of the Water Corporation was to “provide water to consumers at the least possible cost”.
“If a government itself wants to sponsor the research (into renewable energy) it’s fine, but it shouldn’t be a cost borne by water users,” he said. Mr Rowe likened desalination plants to “water factories”.
“We can produce all the water you like but it can’t be free,” Mr Rowe said.
“It should be paid for by the users, to encourage people to use water wisely.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
