Bones Still Sidelined by System

By Des Dugan

GETTING things right for the disadvantaged has become a plea from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party representative Lee Watts.

In particular Mrs Watts wants the government to pay attention to affordable and decent housing for the disadvantaged in the country communities.

Lack of government spending in this area has left many disadvantaged and elderly people with inadequate housing, facilities and services.

“Mark Curtis, better known as Bones by most people in town (Scone) is an inspiration – he is an articulate person with a great sense of humour and an incredible tolerance for the current government,” Mrs Watts told scone.com.au.

“Mark has cerebral palsy, his health is deteriorating and he is unable to access essential services because of where he lives.”

Mark lives in a Compass property in Scone but desperately needs to be closer to a therapy pool and physiotherapists to improve his quality of life.

“He would like to move to Maitland but in four years, Compass housing has been unable to find him anywhere to relocate to,” she said.

Mark is now seeking private housing with the held of a NDIS provider who lives in Maitland.

Lee Watts wth Mark “Bones” Curtis who is trying to access rehabilitation.

“People like Mark should not have to go through this,” Mrs Watts said.

“The government is supposed to make sure Compass is doing its job and our tax dollars are spent properly.”

Compass Housing Services (Compass) is one of Australia’s largest non-government social housing providers administering the government’s housing program which used to be under the guise of the NSW Housing Commission before it was handed over to private administration.

It was one of the first NSW Community Tenancy Scheme organisations to diversify into providing affordable housing with the delivery of Building Better Cities during the late 1990s.

However, it is dependent on government and private housing developments to administer and therefore is sitting in the cracks of NSW housing having little to offer to long and short term renters.

Related stories:

• Call the Sheriff – Dares Bones – February 20, 2018.
• Editorial – System a Cruel Joke – November 20, 2017
• Left Waiting and Worsening – November 20, 2017
• Compass Buck-Passing but Light in Sight – December 14, 2016
• Restricted by Red Tape – December 7, 2016
• All Back on Track – February 10, 2016
• Giving Voice, One Word At A Time – February 1, 2016
• Bad Policy, No Bones About It – January 28, 2016