May 19, 2016
Amendments to the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act aim to make life easier for victims of domestic violence.
At the moment, if a tenancy agreement is breached all parties to the agreement are listed on the tenancy database, which means a victim fleeing a violent home may have trouble securing another rental.
Housing Minister Mick de Brenni said the changes meant that the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal could order that personal information of victims was not listed on tenancy databases, where the breach of the tenancy agreement was due to the actions of their partner.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Shannon Fentiman said the change would make sure that vulnerable people were not further marginalised by not being able to rent a property.
“It is horrific to think that not only are women being physically or emotionally abused by partners but that damage to their homes, which they have had no part in, can mean that they can’t secure a new home for themselves and their children,” Ms Fentiman said.
“We know that women have been left homeless because of these database listings, and we know that there have been cases where women have stayed with an abusive partner for fear of not being able to find somewhere to live.
“This change is simple, but it will be mean a lot to vulnerable people who need our support.”
Mr de Brenni said the changes would start from July 1. There will be a transition period of six months to allow database operators to update their data and remove old and irrelevant listings.
