ACT Housing Minister Yvette Berry has defended the government's handling of a decision to relocate more than 300 public housing tenants, arguing there had been extensive consultation with community support organisations prior to the change.
But the ACT Council of Social Service has slammed Ms Berry over her comments, with chief executive Emma Campbell saying advice from the organisation had been ignored.
Ms Berry said most tenants had been contacted multiple times about their relocation and would be supported "before, during and after" their moves.
While she acknowledged some tenants would be anxious, Ms Berry said they were living in "underutilised" properties with excess rooms and they needed to be moved, as many single parents with children were in overcrowded accommodation.
"I understand that there are tenants who are nervous about moving out of their existing homes into new homes," she said.
"I understand that change after a number of years, decades for many of these individuals, is incredibly difficult but particularly if you are a public housing tenant.
"We need to make sure we have rooms for everybody ... single parents or single mums with a number of children who are living in overcrowded situations, or are homeless themselves, we need to find them homes that best suit their needs."
The territory government last week notified 337 public housing tenants they would be relocated in an unsigned letter. The tenants will be moved on as part of the ACT's public housing growth and renewal program.
The letter was vague and did not give any information about when the tenants would be moved. A majority of the houses will be sold. Only 46 properties will be redeveloped on the same site.
A number of distressed tenants have contacted The Canberra Times about the letters, claiming they received it with no prior warning and they had previously been told the government's growth and renewal program was voluntary.
But Ms Berry indicated she had not received negative feedback.
"What you might read or heard in the media has not been the feedback that I've been getting from community support organisations who have been part of this renewal program," she said in an annual report hearings on Friday.
"During the delivery of letters to public housing tenants about the relocation options for them they were individually contacted where possible.
"I understand the majority of people have been spoken to or received correspondence from Housing ACT on a number of occasions."
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Dr Campbell completely refuted claims of meaningful consultation, saying the organisation would never endorse such "callous, heartless and cruel communication".
"Our advice has consistently emphasised the need for respectful and face-to-face communication with tenants, including the direct involvement of well-resourced, independent advocacy services," she said. "Many of the tenants impacted are over the age of 70, live with severe mental health issues including dementia, or are people with disability.
"Our advice may have been listened to, but it has not been heard."
Ms Berry's defence of the program was prompted by a question from opposition housing spokesman Mark Parton who contrasted comments from Chief Minister Andrew Barr about public servants not being "consumer fodder" with the relocation letters sent to public housing tenants.
"How is it that in the same week the Chief Minister angrily responded to public servants working from home and returning to the office ... he responded by saying he wouldn't be shoehorning public servants out of their homes," Mr Parton said.
"He said that these Canberrans were not a commodity and that he'd be treating them as people. How is it that in the same week you informed 300-plus tenants - most of them long term tenants - that you would be shoehorning them out of their homes."
Mr Parton has also been flooded with communication from tenants unhappy with the handling of the relocation letters.
Labor and the Greens have pledged to deliver 400 new public housing properties by the end of 2025. The government has also agreed to renew 1000 existing properties over the same period.
So far, there have been 143 properties demolished and redeveloped since 2019, the hearing heard on Friday. Sales of 242 properties have generated $195 million for the program.
Housing ACT has bought 101 blocks from the Suburban Land Agency, this includes former Mr Fluffy blocks. Seventy-six properties have also been bought from the private market for $52 million.
Over this year, the government has planned to relocate tenants from 156 properties. There will be 91 properties demolished for redevelopment. Housing ACT will also purchase 22 blocks from the Suburban Land Agency and 69 properties from the private market. There will be 116 new builds over the year.
