Australia is well known for it's beautiful beaches, various landscapes, it's charred history and the talent it produces. Like every other country, Australia also has their share of economical problems. The main problems which face society today, are the same age old problems that are still being addressed:

- Commerce
- Crime and Justice
- The Economy
- Education
- Employment and Unemployment
- Financial
- Housing and Accommodation
- Health and Medical

Because of the stigma which surrounds the Department of Housing and related services, society thinks of the stereotypical behaviour which follows these types of environments. Not all tenants are alcoholics, drug addicts, single-parent families and so on. Some individual tenants are on the borderline of an average wage and it is their choice to reside as a Housing Department tenant, not because society thinks that person is a low income earner. There are some properties in which you'd never think would belong to the Housing Department, they can either be a run down squalor or a brand new apartments, homes, buildings.

What occurs in some Housing properties, doesn't always happen anywhere else. It's not always about the property or the condition of the premises itself, majority of the time it is the tenants who are causing distress. The concept of this petition is to demand that the Department of Housing act upon the current issues at hand. Too many tenants go without the proper necessities, such as water, hot water, heating, air/oxygen flow and building maintenance. Although they've followed the proper procedures and have contacted the maintenance hotline, the work is never actually conducted nor completed. Members of the public suffer when the Department of Housing does nothing - personal belongings and certain repairable materials disappear from their homes and properties. If their home is located nearby a Department of Housing property, they too suffer the same as if they were on the exact same property also.

When society takes a stand, there must be a reason behind it all or they wouldn't be making a complaint. But, when a society comes together to share a common goal, then it's obvious that something must be done about it. Too many people are suffering illnesses due to how they've been housed, who they've been housed with and the danger surrounding that property. This petition has been created, following the recent letter to the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) about their continuous inaction. More than 100 separate complaints have been submitted to Department Of Housing in the past 2 months, involving physical altercations and bullying of other Housing tenants. Members of the public have sent numerous correspondence, receiving no replies. Feeling ignored and in danger, members of the community have begun raising awareness in their area(s). This also includes warnings and notices submitted by anonymous users, on location-based applications.

12th August 2011, a special investigation concluded that public housing tenants were taking matters into their own hands – and a ruling by the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) meant that Housing NSW is legally liable if it ignores complaints about abusive, disruptive and dangerous tenants.

In previous stories documented by the Australian Centre for Journalism, found difficulties faced by public housing tenants with mental illness who need to move away from where they’re living because they’re being harassed or victimized by neighbours. To continue living in public housing, the only option is a transfer. Housing then provided the 'mutual exchange program', for tenants to swap/transfer their homes with other tenants. Many have opted to use www.ourhouseswap.com.au, a private exchange website. Tenants have found more use in doing it themselves, as Housing can take a long time to process any forms including transfer applications - some tenants currently awaiting a transfer have been waiting up to 5 years already, especially when there is at least one home or unit in almost every property which is available.

We the undersigned, hereby sign this petition in agreement and demand that Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) and the Registrar of Community Housing, to make the Department of Housing take action on ALL of these matters:

- Repairs and maintenance on all housing owned buildings and properties.
- All complaints received by tenants.
- All complaints received by members of the public.
- All complaints received about any and/or all tenants.
- Giving 'duty of care' to their tenants.
- Giving 'duty of care' to any community which surrounds their properties or buildings.
- Giving 'duty of care' to members of the public.
- Conduct a re-evaluation of tenants and their current circumstances.
- Conduct an assessment of tenants and their eligibility to continue to be housed.
- Conduct a psychological evaluation before deciding where to place certain people. Eg. A single, childless man with severe mental problems (who is not hospitalised), should not be housed near families, schools, parks and areas where children occupy.
- Protect and house those who've actually asked for it.
- Protect and house those who've been accepted for transfer.

NSW Suburbs and Postcodes: (to be submitted with/to the petition)

Jesmond, 2299

Please post a comment on the location in which you would like action to be taken, by adding the suburb and postcode.

I reside in Newcastle NSW, which is where this petition will be mailed, emailed and personally delivered to both CTTT and NSW Dept of Housing. Some of these are offices are sub-branches, the petition will also be sent to the Head/Main Office, Client Feedback Service and related. The Registrar of Community Housing is the regulatory authority for community housing providers in NSW.