Bad behaviour would no longer be tolerated in Western Australia’s public housing system following the introduction of a new Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy for public housing, Housing and Works Minister Troy Buswell announced today.
The strategy, based on analysis of other jurisdictions in Australia and the United Kingdom, delivered on the Liberal-National Government’s 2008 election campaign promise to provide greater safeguards from antisocial behaviour.
“Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will better enable the State Government to deliver on its responsibility for the safety and security of social housing tenants,” Mr Buswell said.
“Providing a safe and secure environment in State-funded houses is a responsibility which is shared by the Government and tenants.
“I will be working closely with the Department of Housing to ensure these changes are used in a consistent manner.”
The Government will be able to apply to the Magistrates Court for the termination of a tenancy agreement in extreme cases where the tenant has repeatedly allowed the premises to be used for an illegal purpose; caused or permitted a serious nuisance; or interfered with the peace, comfort or privacy of their neighbours.
The new Disruptive Behaviour Management Strategy sets an appropriate standard of behaviour and introduces new processes and sanctions for handling disruptive tenancies after the regular avenues of due process and fair effort to work with support agencies have been exhausted.
The changes would include new legally-enforceable Tenancy Behaviour Conditions; probationary fixed-term tenancies for returning tenants; the application of court-ordered visitor sanctions; and the introductions of a mediation service and early intervention teams.
The department would also adopt wider use of Section 64 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 to terminate the tenancies of severely disruptive tenants as required, as an interim measure until the amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act are passed.
Minister's office: 9222 9111