Annual Report 2000/2001 Territory Housing
Tabled paper 154
Tabled Papers for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2001-11-29
Deemed
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/284047
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/751358
*!fegpaisiiy iKisgaBBBgoiiiiiBEO ta i-isge as@E) asp Corporate Governance W ||M PLA IN TS CLIENT RELATIONS OFFICER employed by government, tw o members from the private sector; an Indigenous housing organisation member and four public housing tenants. The Client Relations Officer position was established in 1999-2000 as an additional avenue for answering client queries and facilitating complaint resolution. In 2000-2001, the Client Relations Officer received 156 approaches from Territory Housing clients, with more than 90% o f complaints resolved through mediation. PUBLIC HOUSING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS PANEL Under the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement, the Northern Territory Government is committed to implementing effective mechanisms for the investigation and resolution o f complaints, including an independent appeals mechanism. Public Housing Administrative Appeals Panels are established in Darwin and Alice Springs to hear appeals against administrative decisions affecting tenants o fTerritory Housing, with members appointed by the Minister fo r Housing. Two appeals were lodged with the Panels in 2000-2001, with one appeal concluded in favour o fTerritory Housing and the second appeal commencing with a preliminary hearing and continuing into the following financial year. As at 30 June 2001, the Public Housing Administrative Appeals Panels included five members from community organisations, one member from community government, tw o members An internal review o f the Public Housing Administrative Appeals Mechanism was finalised in October 2000. The review canvassed opinions from public housing tenants, community service organisations, appeal panel members,Territory Housing staff, the Ombudsman's Office for the Northern Territory, the Office o f the Commissioner fo r Tenancies and also considered interstate models. Results from the review indicated support fo r the Public Housing Administrative Appeals Mechanism and the Minister for Housing approved the continuation o f the Appeals Panel fo r a further three years. OTHER AVENUES The Ombudsmans Office for the Northern Territory is appointed to receive complaints from members o f the public who feel they have been treated unfairly o r inappropriately by Northern Territory Government agencies. In 2000-2001, the Ombudsmans Office received 92 queries relating to Territory Housing, o f which 22 were referred to Territory Housings Client Relations Officer fo r further consultation with the tenant. Consumer Affairs can provide assistance to consumers wishing to resolve disputes with a trader In 2000-2001, 5 queries were received by Consumers Affairs, which were on-passed to Territory Housings Client Relations Officer