House on Fire
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I reckon they would be reeling from the SA election results ….. so playing for more time to brainwash the public!
I am about to meet with the Labor candidate for my Federal Electorate of Hasluck (held by Ken Wyatt). I will remind her of the statistics say I have read their Housing Futures policy. I will say I expect building to start immediately they are in government!
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.
Pic of our WA peer support group for older women at risk of homelessness. We hope to collaborate with Home Hub in 2022 …… if we are successful in a grant application!!
Western Australia’s only affordable rental housing marketplace
The Home Hub is connecting people who need affordable homes with people who have empty and underused homes.Have you had any success Marie? Is there an “invitation” tab somewhere here? I am connected to Shelter WA on LinkedIn and other groups that I’d like to invite to House on Fire and our Facebook page.
Looking forward to doing some story telling workshops through HAAG and also locally in WA through and collaboration between the Town of Victoria Park and the Centre for Stories. This collaboration is focussing on stories of homelessness and at risk. Should be very productive!
Fantastic new Marie! I know how you feel, having helped a woman who was living in a room with no fridge for 4 years. She is now in State Housing and calls her home, her “castle”!
Brad Pettitt is the only Greens in the WA Legislative Assembly. He is a former Mayor of Fremantle and I am a friend of his sister. I know the Greens have a housing policy as they asked me to share my story at the launch a few years back.
Gonna contact him and follow up!!What a story Marie! We must keep a record here so that you can use it to refer to when you write that story. ….and it MUST be written!!!!
I haven’t had shared housing experience, however a friend has and it wound up in a court case. Her housemate complained about everything my friend did (breathing?)! The magistrate eventually dismissed the case saying the claims were puerile!! My friend managed to break the lease and leave…..
I have found that making contact with local newspaper journalists and radio show hosts a good way to alert the public to the issues.
