ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY RELEASE
7 Nov 2012
Sister Myree Harris rsj is not given to hyperbole. But the normally low-key Josephite admits she is not just happy but "ecstatic" at the passage of a bill to protect the rights and security of the vulnerable, helpless and often mentally ill residents of boarding houses across NSW.
After battling for 20 years to reform standards, tighten regulations and introduce the monitoring of unlicensed boarding houses or Licensed Residential Centres (LRC) as they are officially known, Sr Myree and the Coalition of Appropriate Supported Accommodation (CASA), which she co-founded in 1993, have finally seen their efforts rewarded.
"This really is a happy ending," she says of the NSW Parliament's Boarding Houses Bill 2012 which will come into effect from 1 January 2013.
Under the new legislation, assisted boarding houses throughout NSW which provide accommodation for many of the State's poor, elderly, frail and disabled, will be face far tighter regulations and oversight and will be closely monitored by both local as well as state government officials.
Even more important, for the first time residents of privately-run for-profit hostels and assisted boarding houses that look after the State's low income mentally ill and disabled will be given the same legal rights and protections as those currently provided to tenants of rental properties, and will have access to the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal.
"Once the bill becomes law in just over two months' time, unscrupulous owners of these boarding houses will no longer be able to throw residents out at a moment's notice," says Sr Myree.
With no protections under the law, she recalls the many ill and desperate people she has found in Sydney's streets, standing stunned and uncomprehending amongst their meagre belongings after being tossed out of their boarding house.
Currently there are an estimated 7000 low income residents living in unlicensed boarding houses in NSW, with the majority of these living in boarding houses or LRC's in Sydney.
Without a voice and no security, most have not only been exploited by their landlords but have frequently been forced to live in appalling conditions.
"Residents of these places had no access to the NSW Tenancy Tribunal, no one overseeing or checking on how they were treated and in what conditions they were living. Instead they were completely vulnerable and having no occupancy rights, were at the mercy of any unscrupulous owner of one of these boarding houses," Sr Myree says.
She cites frequent instances where the owner of the boarding house commandeered a resident's bank book, Medicare card and pension card where the resident was terrified to speak out in case they were thrown out and on to the street.
"These people literally have had nowhere to go and nowhere to turn," Sr Myree points out.
The new bill will change this. But tragically it took the death of six mentally ill men and women at a Marrickville boarding house over a two year period from 2009 and 2010 for politicians and the NSW Government to be galvanised into action.
Despite the ongoing tireless efforts for tighter controls and protections for boarding house residents by Sr Myree and CASA, the coalition she helped found which includes representatives of 22 organisations including Catholic Social Services, Mary MacKillop Outreach, Exodus Foundation, Council for Intellectual Disability, Salvation Army, Mission Australia, Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, People with Disability Australia and the mental Health Coordinating Council, it was only after wide publicity and a scathing report into the deaths by the State Coroner Mary Jarram that a bill was finally drafted.
The Coroner found that each of those who died had been "uncared for, poorly treated medically and neglected" and describing conditions at the Marrickville boarding house, a "Dickensian picture of neglect," called for an urgent overhaul of regulations governing LRCs.
Almost immediately the NSW Government drafted a bill. Put out for consultation, submissions on the issue, including those presented by Sr Myree and CASA, closed in August this year. Then last week, on Monday 29 October, the bill became law.
"It was wonderful how quickly the bill passed, receiving unanimous support from both sides of the House," says Sr Myree.
The NSW Government has appointed Sr Myree as a member of the newly-established Boarding House Expert Advisory Group which will be consulted and have input into the implementation of the new legislation over the next 12 months. Others on this group include the Rev Harry Herbert of Uniting Care as well as organisations such as People with Disability Australia, the Public Guardian and representatives from local government.
In a speech supporting the bill when it was read a second time in the NSW Parliament, Parliamentary Secretary Marie Ficarra made special mention of Sr Myree and her many years as a community advocate for people in boarding houses as well as her work with the Gethsemane community, which the Josephite sister founded to help the homeless, poor, disadvantaged and mentally ill.
"I commend and honour Sr Myree Harris, OAM a contemporary Josephite nun acting in the spirit of Mary MacKillop," Marie Ficcarra said.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Sr Myree Wins 20 Year Battle for Boarding House Reform
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,7 Nov 2012
Sr Myree Harris RSJ a tireless advocate of the poor, mentally ill and homeless
After battling for 20 years to reform standards, tighten regulations and introduce the monitoring of unlicensed boarding houses or Licensed Residential Centres (LRC) as they are officially known, Sr Myree and the Coalition of Appropriate Supported Accommodation (CASA), which she co-founded in 1993, have finally seen their efforts rewarded.
"This really is a happy ending," she says of the NSW Parliament's Boarding Houses Bill 2012 which will come into effect from 1 January 2013.
Under the new legislation, assisted boarding houses throughout NSW which provide accommodation for many of the State's poor, elderly, frail and disabled, will be face far tighter regulations and oversight and will be closely monitored by both local as well as state government officials.
Even more important, for the first time residents of privately-run for-profit hostels and assisted boarding houses that look after the State's low income mentally ill and disabled will be given the same legal rights and protections as those currently provided to tenants of rental properties, and will have access to the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal.
Marrickville Boarding House was damp, Dickensian, squalid and unkempt
With no protections under the law, she recalls the many ill and desperate people she has found in Sydney's streets, standing stunned and uncomprehending amongst their meagre belongings after being tossed out of their boarding house.
Currently there are an estimated 7000 low income residents living in unlicensed boarding houses in NSW, with the majority of these living in boarding houses or LRC's in Sydney.
Without a voice and no security, most have not only been exploited by their landlords but have frequently been forced to live in appalling conditions.
"Residents of these places had no access to the NSW Tenancy Tribunal, no one overseeing or checking on how they were treated and in what conditions they were living. Instead they were completely vulnerable and having no occupancy rights, were at the mercy of any unscrupulous owner of one of these boarding houses," Sr Myree says.
She cites frequent instances where the owner of the boarding house commandeered a resident's bank book, Medicare card and pension card where the resident was terrified to speak out in case they were thrown out and on to the street.
Six deaths occurred at this Sydney boarding house in 2009 and 2010
The new bill will change this. But tragically it took the death of six mentally ill men and women at a Marrickville boarding house over a two year period from 2009 and 2010 for politicians and the NSW Government to be galvanised into action.
Despite the ongoing tireless efforts for tighter controls and protections for boarding house residents by Sr Myree and CASA, the coalition she helped found which includes representatives of 22 organisations including Catholic Social Services, Mary MacKillop Outreach, Exodus Foundation, Council for Intellectual Disability, Salvation Army, Mission Australia, Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, People with Disability Australia and the mental Health Coordinating Council, it was only after wide publicity and a scathing report into the deaths by the State Coroner Mary Jarram that a bill was finally drafted.
Marie Ficarra NSW Parliamentary Secretary paid special tribute to Sr Myree for her advocacy on behalf of boarding house residents
Almost immediately the NSW Government drafted a bill. Put out for consultation, submissions on the issue, including those presented by Sr Myree and CASA, closed in August this year. Then last week, on Monday 29 October, the bill became law.
"It was wonderful how quickly the bill passed, receiving unanimous support from both sides of the House," says Sr Myree.
The NSW Government has appointed Sr Myree as a member of the newly-established Boarding House Expert Advisory Group which will be consulted and have input into the implementation of the new legislation over the next 12 months. Others on this group include the Rev Harry Herbert of Uniting Care as well as organisations such as People with Disability Australia, the Public Guardian and representatives from local government.
In a speech supporting the bill when it was read a second time in the NSW Parliament, Parliamentary Secretary Marie Ficarra made special mention of Sr Myree and her many years as a community advocate for people in boarding houses as well as her work with the Gethsemane community, which the Josephite sister founded to help the homeless, poor, disadvantaged and mentally ill.
"I commend and honour Sr Myree Harris, OAM a contemporary Josephite nun acting in the spirit of Mary MacKillop," Marie Ficcarra said.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Comments