More evidence of housing affordability problems, this time in rentals. Whilst I feel for the people concerned and the "shot out of the blue" decision, I just wonder why a figure of "up to $200 more per week" was quoted.

This seems to indicate that the rental was either well under the market value or heavily subsidised. Maybe this problem has been around for a while but hidden by mis-management and temporary fixes within the organisation. This may explain the comment from the government that there was not a fit a proper person to run the organisation and by that I mean as to their management ability. The really sad part is innocent people suffer.


Also, a complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal? Is it not the Kabi Kabi Aboriginal Organisation making this decision? If members do not agree then it is more a fair trading issue than discrimination?

Dubby - I had a housemate that had blonde hair and blue eyes and was so pale she got sunburnt putting the washing out - but was not an albino..... she was considered Aboriginal because she had 1/8 Aboriginal blood. It's amazing how many can claim for these benefits. Anyone want to give me some cheap housing?

Where is the line drawn for aboriginal benefits? Honestly, those people are causasion, if they get aboriginal benefits because they are 1/8 aborigine, then that is laughable.

The government should be more interested in the condition of the state of outback australia and the 3rd world conditions the "real" aborigines live in.

White man came took everything...... Midnight Oil

Oh please Brook.

Took everything? Well let them roam around the desert again shall we?

Quoting Midnite Oil......sheesh.

Kabi Kabi Aboriginal Organisation obviously was set up with the intent to assist low-income indigenous families, just as government-funded housing was for other low-income Australian families.

Also, in response to dubby, suncoastlass and Dougr; How Irish does an Irishman, with an English mother and an Irish father, have to be before being considered Irish, even if the Irishman does not have the sterotypical trait of a ginger-coloured beard?

Obviously, this is not the main issue. The real issue is that 100 of our fellow Australians are facing possible eviction. None of them are guaranteed of sustaining their houses for rental.

I know an old blackfella with light skin. When his Aboriginality and colour are questioned he simply replies:

"I was black enough to be forced to live on a reserve for the first 40 years of my life. Up until the 1980's I was unable to leave without a permit from the white bosses who had the power to decide who I could marry, who I could work for and where I could go. They had the final say on how I how I spent my money, then they stole my wages from my bank account Is that black enough for you? "

Dubby, the point I was trying to make in relation to the Irishman and the 'Pommy' is that you cannot judge a book by its cover. Where is your factual information to prove that these people are only 1/8th Aboriginal? It is only an assumption being made; an assumption which could be easily taken offensively by members of the community who indeed are Aboriginal (and don't appear to be), who embrace their culture and are proud to be represented as an Aboriginal.

I've known of an Aboriginal child with a parent who was light-skinned and the other dark-skinned, and the child did not look Aboriginal. Does that mean he is not Aboriginal? That was the point I was trying to make. I was just using it in a different context to look at the broader scheme of things. Sorry if I confused you.

Also, the four people in the photo represent only a small portion of the tenants under threat. In fact, less than 4% of them! Of course some are not going to be indigenous, because there is no law to say that an indigenous person must not marry a non-indigenous person.

I would also like to hear a response to Pescadero. He brings an extremely valid point. How can an Aboriginal with 1/8th Aboriginal blood be treated like that in the past and be disregarded in today's society to Aboriginal housing? By the way, that is a not a question personally involving the man Pescadero quoted, but of Aboriginals in general. We really need to step into the these people's shoes to see what these people have suffered in the past, whether they are and light-coloured Aboriginal or a dark-coloured Aboriginal.

In response to your friends who do not claim their special benefits, that is totally their choice. No one can force them to take the special benefits. But anyway, all this is straying from the point. The point is there are Australian families who are in need of some help. Let's do the 'Aussie' thing and help them out.

Is it not true that you stated that, '...they dont look aboriginal to me'? Also, is it not true that you stated that, 'Honestly, those people are causasion, if they get aboriginal benefits because they are 1/8 aborigine, then that is laughable'?

Could you please justify the comments made by you so that I and fellow readers have a better understanding of what exactly you mean. It would be greatly appreciated. I apologise if I misinterpreted those above comments.

Also, 'those of colour' are not the only people in Australian society that receive benefits from the help of governments and not-for-profit organisations.

Please do not forget the assistance provided in the form of government housing for low-income earners, jobseeking services for those who are unable to find employment, not-for-profit organisations that help people with alcohol and drug abuse problems, services that help gambling addicts overcome their terrible addiction, services provided by the Salvation Army and similar organisations to help put food on many Australians' tables, places that provide shelter for those who are unfortunate enough to live on the street, and special discounts and concessions for the elderly.

The list goes on. All these contributions, no matter how big or small, are helping those who are in need. Of course, more can be done but please do not discredit Australia and the Australian people as a country that only supports just those of indigenous background. It simply is not true.

But again, debating whether indigenous people are the only ones in Australia receiving benefits is not the main issue. I stand by what I said. That is, these Australians are faced with the possibility of being evicted, with no guarantee of sustaining their houses for rental.

I was referring to comments from suncoastlass.

Thank you for your social commentary.

Racism is when we are not treated equal - the point is we are treated equally. The QHC is predominant housing organisation for white with limited housing for indigenous due to organisations Australia Wide providing the housing for Indigenous on the same basis.

Looking at figures it seems that these tenants actually are paying more than mainstream tenants through QHC.

Maybe we need to see blinkers and understand that it is the Government decision at the end of the day to run a parrallel organisation similar to QHC - so where is the Government now to assist this organisation in being able to provide the housing in accordance with the QHC Department.

This is a classic story of service organisation set up to provide housing assistance, the Kabi Kabi Aboriginal Organisation being run as a for profit, maximise the return wannabe corporation. This is a leftover of the Howard years, it appears the community had no need for appointed administrators. Save some consultancy fees and let the community run it's own organisation as they have for 30 odd years.

Local Girl where is your research. Cheap Loans I don't think so, tell me where you get this information from. Again there are parellel organisations out there these so called cheap loans are available to "white" through Qld Housing Commision the same as Indigenous.

Same with Austudy and Abstudy the same as other departments allowing for non-english people there is the same assistance but in an appropriate environment to those wishing for it.

It is people making comments such as yours that keep this so called cycle going.

I am white and I am proud to be Australian, proud of our culture and history and proud to live in a multicultural nation.

But local girl please get your facts straight before entering into a debate that isn't really a debate.

Localgirl

Thanks for your reply but can please directly quote where this information is as searching the internet I cannot locate any information which is showing anything to back your claims.

Housing is one but yet again is on par to what any other Australian whom is eligible to receive if they satisfy the requirements of QHC.

Where is the car loan and the lower interest rates you are replying please provide internet references as if it is true there has to be source of interent information that we can read.

I think you will have to be stood to be corrected.

I await your reply.

What a bunch of ignorant people we have here!! 1 in 4 Aboriginal people over the age of 25 were stolen away from their mothers and made to work as domestic servants in white homes and as labourers. Many people grew up being abused by people so-called trying to 'save' them because they had some black in them. You just have to look at the history on the coast here. First, Aboriginal people were rounded up, raped and massacred. Those that were left after years of people stealing their land off them were 'removed' to missions- at Fraser (which closed after a couple of years), Lake Weyba, Bribie Island and Woodford. Then when they were all closed down they were made to walk to Barambah now Cherbourg.... Did this happen to any of you??!!!
Does anyone know what the word 'equity' means?
What a bunch of racist, uninformed people. It makes me ashamed to be Australian.
'Local girl'- how 'local' are you? Can you claim that you are a 'local' because you decend from over 2,000 generations of people living on the Sunshine Coast. Grow up, learn to read books and perhaps get out of your bubble and actually yarn to some Elders and Aboriginal people and hear their story.