This is a wall in an eastern suburbs rooming house. Despite being graffitied and smeared with faeces many months before, nothing has been done to clean itLetters to the editor and radio talkback

 

Writing to a newspaper

Writing to a newspaper is one of the most effective ways you can speak up for vulnerable rooming house residents. Thousands of people will read your letter, including the decision makers who can implement the reforms needed.

You must include your name, address and a contact phone number, but you can request that your name and address be withheld from publication if you have concerns about being identified. Your phone number will never be published. Letters are more effective and more likely to be published if the newspaper can publish your name.

Keep your letters as short as possible and make a strong point. Your letter will be competing with hundreds of others on all sorts of topics so make it as interesting and punchy as possible. Talk about your personal experience or that of someone close to you if you have some.

Below are contacts for the statewide newspapers, but remember that many local papers also publish letters. Grab a copy of your local paper and write to them expressing your concerns about the state of private rooming houses.

Key points

  • Victoria's shortage of affordable, social and public housing means that poorly regulated private rooming houses are the only option available for most people in need of crisis housing. The only other option is sleeping on the street.
  • Rogue and exploitative operators are taking advantage of these people by cramming men, women and children into suburban properties that are expensive, poorly maintained, dangerous and badly managed.
  • Most private rooming houses are unregistered meaning they operate in the black market.
  • Outreach workers who visit these houses often report exposed wiring, missing smoke detectors/fire extinguishers, illegal building works and people living in every available space including partioned lounge rooms, garages and even kitchens and bathrooms.
  • The worst operators have criminal connections (as reported in The Sunday Age and elsewhere) and use their properties as places to carry out their activities. Drug use, used syringes, dealing and physical assaults on residents are commonly reported by residents.
  • Many private rooming houses can cost up to $300 a week for a single room sharing a house with more than 10 strangers.
  • Residents who make a complaint or seek to have property maintenance carried out are often illegally evicted and in many cases have their possessions sold or disposed of, which is also illegal.
  • Current regulations (Health Act) and the current regulators (local councils) are not able to properly administer this section of the private property market. By doing nothing, vulnerable rooming house residents will continue to suffer this legal and regulatory breakdown.
  • The Victorian Government must step in urgently and create a safety net to protect these vulnerable individuals and families from exploitation.
  • This must include comprehensive minimum standards for rooming houses.
  • This must include a more effective system of registration, monitoring and enforcement to ensure the standards are effective.
  • This must include a licensing system for operators and staff like we have in other fields, in order to end exploitative practices.
  • In the longer-term, the Victorian and Federal Governments need to continue to create more affordable, social and public housing supply to create more housing options for people and families experiencing housing crisis.

Newspaper contacts

Radio talkback

Many radio stations also have talkback programs where listeners can phone in and discuss issues that are important to them. You can use the same points above to raise this issue on radio. This helps reach a different group of people than those who typically read newspapers.

  • 3AW - 693 AM
    Enquiries: (03) 9243 2000
    Open Line: (03) 9690 0693
  • 774 ABC Melbourne
    General: (03) 9626 1771 (774 for enquiries)
    Talkback: 1300 222 774
    SMS: 19 774 774
  • Triple J - 107.5 FM
    Talkback: 1300 055 536
    SMS: 19 757 555