Housing Amendment (Victorian Housing Register and Other Matters) Bill 2016

Friday 28 October 2016 @ 1.35 p.m. | Legal Research

The Victorian Government, on 25 October 2016, has introduced the Housing Amendment (Victorian Housing Register and Other Matters) Bill 2016 into Parliament. The Bill will amend the Housing Act 1983 to provide for the establishment and administration of the Victorian Housing Register in relation to the registration of applicants for tenancies in social housing and facilitating the allocation of tenancies in social housing.

Background

Victorian Minister for Housing, Martin Foley, acknowledged the escalation of challenges facing the government’s response to homelessness, housing need and other social disadvantages. Mr Foley highlighted in his second reading speech to introduce the Bill that a practical way to combat this growing issue is make use of all information available to government and the community housing sector to better drive coordination of housing and tenancies.  

The single Victorian Housing Register was launched in September of 2016 and that allowed for the streamlining of applicants for social housing. Under the Register, “Victorians in need of housing support now only have to 'tell their story' once and submit one application” Mr Foley explained. However, the Register will still need to see the combination of the existing public housing and over forty community housing waiting lists into one single process before full implementation can take place.

The Current Bill

Mr Foley described the current Bill as providing the necessary legal assurance to both the Department of Housing as well as the community housing sector that information is being shared in an authorised, transparent and lawful way. He explained:

“The information sharing requirements in this bill will support disadvantaged Victorians and provide more personalised and targeted housing outcomes. Outcomes that best meet the individual's identified safety, support and health needs; thereby facilitating more sustainable social housing tenancies.”

Essentially, the Bill will allow for the better sharing of relevant and critical information which will subsequently facilitate more sustainable tenancies for persons living in social housing. 

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Sources:

Housing Amendment (Victorian Housing Register and Other Matters) Bill 2016, Bill, Second Reading Speech and Explanatory Memorandum as published on TimeBase LawOne

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