Page 1172 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 May 2020
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6) Parents and carers are encouraged to engage directly with their school to access internet support, for those that do not have internet access at home. The ACT Government has partnered with Telstra to provide data SIM cards and WiFi hotspot ‘dongles’ to public school students to enable this internet support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
7) The independent and Catholic school sectors each have their own system for monitoring engagement by students. The Education Directorate continues to liaise closely with the Catholic Education Office and Association of Independent Schools to inform them of what the public system is doing and share relevant information or support.
8) Safe and Supervised School Sites are available for students of parents and carers who need them for any reason. No child will be turned away if they need to be at school.
COVID-19 pandemic––tenant rights
(Question No 2978)
Ms Le Couteur asked the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, upon notice, on 3 April 2020:
(1) Will ACT Housing remove any matters listed with the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) that may result in a tenant eviction until such time as the moratorium on evictions is lifted.
(2) What supports will be put into place to ensure that tenants involved in disputes with ACT Housing whether before the ACAT or not, can continue their tenancy for the next six months.
Ms Berry: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
1. Under the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Declaration 2020 (the Declaration), a three-month moratorium on terminations has been introduced for households which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and income has fallen by at least 25%.
Under this Declaration, Housing ACT will not issue Notices to Vacate for debt to public housing tenants, impacted or not by COVID-19, whilst the Declaration is in effect. Any matter that is currently with the tribunal for rental arrears will be adjourned or withdrawn for the period of the Declaration.
However, where action needs to be taken to ensure community safety and the safety of tenants and the homes they live in, Housing ACT will continue to take matters to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal as a last resort to try and seek engagement from the tenant to resolve the issue.
2. Where a tenant is in dispute with Housing ACT they will be provided with referrals to relevant support services, including Canberra Community Law, and Housing ACT staff will continue to try to engage with the tenants to better understand their circumstances and identify the supports they may need to sustain their tenancies.
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