CCC's government employee housing review to parliament

A report on the review of government employee housing in rural areas was tabled in parliament today, raising significant issues for the authority, according to state Director of Corruption Prevention, Education and Research, Irene Froyland.

The full text of a CCC announcement is pasted below

The State Government agency responsible for providing housing to government employees in rural areas has moved quickly and effectively to implement a number of administrative changes following a corruption prevention review by the Corruption and Crime Commission.

A report on the review of the Government Employees Housing Authority was tabled in Parliament today.

The Director of Corruption Prevention, Education and Research, Dr Irene Froyland, said it raised issues such as inadequacies in GEHA's systems to assess and monitor eligibility for Government subsidised housing, and difficulties in interpreting and applying eligibility criteria for housing under the GEH Act.

The Commission has made six recommendations to address issues identified in the review and Dr Froyland said GEHA is to be commended for the prompt and comprehensive action it has taken to respond to the review.

GEHA provides 4,200 properties that it either owns or leases in 250 locations across the state.

The housing is only provided if a government employee or their spouse or partner does not own a property in which they could reasonably reside within 50km of their place of employment.

Dr Froyland said the Commission received a report in 2004 that a tenant of a GEHA property was not eligible for the subsidised housing. The tenant was later charged and found guilty of fraud.

"As a result of the allegation, the Commission examined 500 GEHA tenancies in five locations and identified three additional cases where public officers may not be eligible for subsidised GEHA housing.

"Another case was subsequently identified by GEHA and added to the investigation.

"Three public servants moved out of their GEHA housing and it was ruled that the fourth tenant was eligible for the subsidised housing."