[Wendy]

My story:

I’m a Mother, Grandmother and….. soon to be Great Grandmother!

After taking time out of the paid workforce to raise 4 children, I left a dysfunctional marriage and the family home in a small country town 25 years ago.

I left without any household goods or a car.

After a property settlement I was able to by a car and some household goods. I was aged 50 and did not have enough money to consider buying a house.

Since then my housing story is having lived in the private rental system for 20 years while working full time as a librarian. I have had to move 11 times due to rent rises, and the selling of my rentals. The physical, mental and financial stress of having to move so many times can not be over estimated. Having to find at least $2,000 for each move, plus the disruption to my established social networks and working life have been crucial elements affecting my overall health.

I am now retired and living on a government pension. I still live in insecure rental housing (a very tiny granny flat that, thanks to a kind landlord, is just affordable) and am active with volunteer work in the community. I am passionate about the issue of older women who have found themselves in similar situations to myself and am working with Not for Profit Groups to remedy this wicked housing crisis.