Weekend Edition

Friday, February 13, 2009 KEEPING THE SOUTH EAST INFORMED SINCE 1861 $1.00 inc. GST

INSIDE REAL
32 PAGES OF
ON THE
ESTATE LAND PAGES 17-23
BW491035

INSIDE TODAY: VALENTINE’S DAY MESSAGES > CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 29

Homes
trashed have paid their damage bill.”
Ms Chapman claimed the Labor
Cabinet - including Independent MP
BY SANDRA MORELLO for Mount Gambier Rory McEwen - had
Email: sandra@tbw.com.au refused to crack down on the issue.
NEARLY 400 Housing SA homes in “Housing SA needs to intervene early
Mount Gambier have been trashed in to ensure tenants fix the damage or are
the past three years, costing taxpayers removed from the property,” she said.
nearly $330,000 in repairs. But she said a policy to kick out van-
It is understood the problem is so dals would exclude people with mental
bad there are rats infesting some of health issues, who should be housed in
the properties because of tenants piling supported accommodation.
“mountains” of filthy rubbish in their “Some tenants are piling up rubbish
government-owned homes. and rats are moving in and infesting the pABOVE: The
According to Housing SA documents properties,” Ms Chapman said. Sims family, Trina
obtained by the State Liberals under She also called on Housing SA to step (left), Courtney,
Freedom of Information, public ten- up its surveillance of government-owned Zac and Brittany,
ants in Mount Gambier have smashed housing. wave goodbye to
doors and windows, destroyed carpets, She claimed the government was their husband and
defaced walls and torn screens. sitting back and letting people have father, Chris, as
Liberal Party deputy leader Vickie “second, third or fourth chances” after he leaves to battle
Chapman labelled the situation “abso- vandalising properties. Victoria’s
lutely disgusting” and called on the “These people need to be jumped on devastating
government to intervene and kick out quickly. If they are unable or unwilling bushfires
vandals so the properties can be given to fix it then they should be forced out (pictured left) on
to one of the hundreds of people on the to allow a decent person to move in,” Wednesday.
waiting list in Mount Gambier. Ms Chapman said. Reports, pages
“This is a shocking trail of vandalism She claimed some people, such as the 2-3
of public housing at taxpayer expense,” needy and those with disabilities, had Picture: ELLIE
Ms Chapman said. been waiting years to secure a public TURNER
“The government must guarantee home in Mount Gambier. Fire picture: LATROBE
that none of these tenants will be VALLEY EXPRESS.
rehoused in public housing until they Continued page 4

WEATHER Mount Gambier today - Fine. Mostly sunny. 26o – full report page 43 TV GUIDE Pages 26-27 COMICS Page 28 CLASSIFIEDS Pages 29-36

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