Tasmanian Woman Waits Three Years for Social Housing as Authority Dissolves
Felicity Hirst, a 29-year-old with a chronic heart condition awaiting a transplant, has been on Tasmania's social housing waitlist since October 2022. Her wait duration now matches the entire existence of Homes Tasmania, the state agency recently dissolved by the government due to perceived inefficiencies. Hirst requires specific accommodations, such as a single-story home near medical services in Kingston, but faces delays and limited options. Currently living with her parents, she expresses mental distress over the uncertainty. The case highlights broader systemic failures, with the waitlist growing by 20% to over 5,500 people since the agency's inception. Critics note that the government's promise of 10,000 new homes includes various non-new constructions, and the agency failed to secure federal funding. As responsibility shifts to the new Building Tasmania department, opposition parties argue that renters like Hirst are paying the price for governmental inaction, with high-priority applicants waiting an average of 88 weeks for housing.
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Tasmanian Woman Waits Three Years for Social Housing as Authority Dissolves
Felicity Hirst, a 29-year-old with a chronic heart condition awaiting a transplant, has been on Tasmania's social housing waitlist since October 2022. Her wait duration now matches the entire existence of Homes Tasmania, the state agency recently dissolved by the government due to perceived inefficiencies. Hirst requires specific accommodations, such as a single-story home near medical services in Kingston, but faces delays and limited options. Currently living with her parents, she expresses mental distress over the uncertainty. The case highlights broader systemic failures, with the waitlist growing by 20% to over 5,500 people since the agency's inception. Critics note that the government's promise of 10,000 new homes includes various non-new constructions, and the agency failed to secure federal funding. As responsibility shifts to the new Building Tasmania department, opposition parties argue that renters like Hirst are paying the price for governmental inaction, with high-priority applicants waiting an average of 88 weeks for housing.
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