Arabic version: أم لسبعة أطفال تُرفض السكن الاجتماعي بسبب حدود الدخل

Rissa Blakely and her seven children are currently living in a public park in Petrie, Queensland, after being denied social housing due to income cut-offs established by the state. According to ABC News, Blakely’s Centrelink payments, which provide financial support for her six children, were considered too high for eligibility.

The social housing income cut-offs in Queensland have remained unchanged for the past 20 years, which has raised concerns among advocates for the homeless. Blakely reported that she and her children have been living in tents for four months, with her daughters sharing one tent and her sons in another tent and a caravan. She expressed fears for her children’s safety, especially at night.

In Queensland, a single parent with three or more children must earn less than $999 per week to qualify for social housing. Blakely pointed out that this equates to less than $18 per person per day, a figure she described as impossible to live on. The family relies on charities for basic necessities, receiving assistance from organizations like Nourish Street three times a week.

Aimee McVeigh, chief executive of the Queensland Council of Social Service, criticized the stagnant income thresholds, arguing that inflation has rendered them inadequate. She emphasized the need for a review of the eligibility criteria to ensure vulnerable families can access essential housing support.

Queensland Housing Minister Sam O’Connor, however, did not commit to increasing the thresholds, attributing the current housing crisis to the previous government’s policies. O’Connor noted that the current government is implementing a significant social and community housing build program, with work underway on 5,970 homes, but he stated that changes to income thresholds would not be considered until the system is improved.