Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Greens acknowledge the enormous uncertainty and fear within in the community about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives and the people they care about.
Many people have been left vulnerable by COVID-19, with lost incomes and businesses closing.
The wide-reaching and considered support package announced by the Premier today will bring relief to many.
The knowledge that support services are being boosted to make it through what will be a dark few months will be a comfort to many.
We hope some people’s fears will be assuaged by knowing their power won’t be cut off, or that they won’t be left homeless.
The Greens successfully moved for stronger protections from evictions and rent hikes in the emergency response legislation. It’s a sign of how different things are in Parliament that the Premier accepted our amendment without hesitation.
As a result, the government has committed to ensuring no tenant in private or public rentals can be evicted during the emergency period. The only exception relates to willful property damage or neighbourhood violence.
We have ensured Tasmanians will not be kicked out of their homes during this pandemic.
It’s critical this assistance package gets to those Tasmanians left vulnerable by the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hopefully, today’s announcement, along with the cooperative work of the Parliament, will go some way to ease anxiety in the community and to ease suffering caused by a sudden and terrible economic downturn.