Media Release
16th June 2025
Tenants Queensland (TQ) is calling for caution regarding the introduction of the public housing ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy, announced by the Housing Minister on Saturday.
TQ notes there are already legislated provisions to allow the eviction of social housing tenants after ‘one strike’ if the issue concerned is serious enough.
A common problem with many of these polices is they reduce the standard of proof required to determine an alleged breached, which is the case in the current law. Further, they often extend the responsibilities for social housing tenants beyond those of other renters, extending them to include the actions of people on neighbouring properties. Given most social housing tenants experience high levels of disadvantage and vulnerability, this is unreasonable.
TQ CEO, Ms Penny Carr, said, “Whilst we’re pleased to hear that there will be support where needed, the risk is that some social housing tenants will be evicted for behaviours that relate to the reasons they were originally housed, for example poor mental health, disability and social exclusion”.
‘Further’, Ms Carr said, ‘to think that those evicted from social housing will be able to gain and sustain private rental for periods of up to two years is challenging‘. Those excluded are highly like to find themselves homeless and in need of support and temporary housing from other community services.
These sort of polices have the potential to end up in a revolving door for the most vulnerable in our community. TQ calls for consultation on any changes to housing policy and procedure as well as direct and early information to public housing tenants.-
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About Tenants Queensland:
Tenants Queensland, established in 1986, provides a range of tenancy advisory and advocacy services including: a statewide telephone advice service for renters, publications, a tenancy law training program, and tenancy law research and policy development.