HOMELESS MAN DENIED A ROOF

Ivan Ring Wyatt

GEOFF VIVIAN

A homeless Noongar-Yamaji man with health problems has been refused emergency government housing in Perth.

Ivan Ring Wyatt, 51, said he applied for housing in March this year and his application was accepted, as long as he produced supporting documents from a doctor.

However he said he was treated disrespectfully at the time by another client and by staff, who then apologised before he left.

“I came back a month later and I was advised by a so-called manager that I couldn’t come in, that I had to come back via an advocate, that I had to leave and I was banned. ” he said. “I was flabbergasted.”

In July Mr Wyatt asked Anglicare for help.

“They advocated on my behalf,” he said. “They found out through the people they use within the Department that my application was just sitting in Wellington Street office. Nobody would even honour the process that I’d engaged with Anglicare Rockingham. Not one email, not one phone call.”

Mr Wyatt said the Department of Communities then rejected his application.

“They sent me a letter within two weeks of that time when I walked out, advising me that my application was rejected because I’m a bad tenant.” he said.

Mr Wyatt said the Department offered no grounds for this assessment.

Ngaarda Media has contacted the Department of Communities for comment.