A mother of four who works as a chef is still homeless and has been sleeping in her car for 18 months, in yet another example of Australia’s dire rental crisis.
Jaki Rose, 58, was a housewife, but in 2019 her relationship broke down and she has now been living in her station wagon for the past year and a half.
The reason is simple. “I couldn’t pay the rent,” she told ABC Queensland. Statewide program.
She drives from car park to car park in Redcliffe, 42km north of Brisbane’s CBD, recently parking her car at a boat ramp.
Despite working 25 hours a week in a brewery kitchen, Ms Rose is one of 20,000 people in Queensland who are homeless.
Mrs Rose has access to shower and washing facilities provided by charities.
She was denied social housing because she earns more than $609 a week, the state government’s maximum earnings threshold for eligibility.
In other states, such as New South Wales, the threshold is higher, where single adults can earn up to $780 a week and still qualify for social housing.
Jaki Rose (pictured), a mother of four, has been homeless for 18 months and sleeps in her car despite also working as a chef, in another example of Australia’s rental crisis.
“They are really targeting the unemployed (in Queensland),” Ms Rose said.
‘If the income assessment had been based on the consumer price index (CPI), inflation and wage increases, I would certainly have qualified.’
She was shocked when she found herself homeless in early 2023. ‘I expected there to be cheap apartments available.
“I thought I could still rent an apartment in this area for $200-$250 a week. I didn’t know. I didn’t expect this.”
According to the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS), her case is by no means unique.
“The housing crisis we are currently experiencing is the result of decades of policy neglect by successive governments,” said Aimee McVeigh, executive director of QCOSS.
Even if Queenslanders do get on the social housing list, they still have to wait almost two and a half years before they can get a home, Queensland Government data shows.
The state government has been investigating the income threshold for almost a year, but the findings have still not been released and may not be before the Queensland election on October 26.
Both the Labour government and the opposition LNP made promises on social housing during the election campaign.
If re-elected, the Labour Party will build 53,500 new social housing units and also buy up existing rental properties to create affordable housing.
Even if Queenslanders get on the social housing list, they still have to wait almost two and a half years to get a home. People are queuing up to view a rental property.
The opposition has the same building goal and has indicated that it also wants to work with non-profit organizations and churches with vacant lots to build affordable housing.
According to the LNP, this could lead to the construction of 10,000 new homes.
But Mrs Rose does not believe either party’s plans will help her.
“I don’t think anyone is offering anything,” she said. “I just want the means test to change.”