Hon Prue Goward,

Minister for Family and Community Services,

NSW Government.

13 May, 2014.

Dear Minister,

I'm writing to inform you that I've been forced to abandon my Department of Housing apartment of ten years at 406/43 Morehead Street, Redfern 2016 on doctor's orders because my physical and mental health has substantially deteriorated over the past seven years while waiting for repairs promised by Mr John Perry of your Department's Surry Hills office, and I can no longer occupy the apartment.

On 11 October, 2007 Mr Perry visited me and explained that my entire apartment was scheduled for immediate refurbishment, including a bathroom seeping water.

I asked Mr Perry when I would be relocated while the refurbishment was taking place since I could not live in a construction zone, and never heard from him again, neither was the promised refurbishment undertaken.

For seven years I've lived with more than a bucket of smelly grey water a day dripping constantly, and noisily, into my bathroom, and a bathtub which floods the apartment, accommodation more appropriate to a North Korean prison cell.

Many times over the years contract plumbers have indicated they would not repair the seepage when called to do so without approval from your Department, which has never forthcoming.

On many occasions Department staff have also visited me and promised repairs but nothing has ever been done.

I've had to relocate to Nimbin on written doctor's advice which I've forwarded to the Department of Housing in Surry Hills, to recover my health, and am renting privately but in need of urgent assistance to secure housing assistance.

Can you please inform the Lismore office of the Department of Housing of my predicament so I can continue the assistance for which I'm eligible and have obtained over the past decade.

Thanks for any attention you may give to this matter,

Yours sincerely,

Philip McKeon

28 Cullen Street,

Nimbin NSW 2480

mob: 0404254328

philip@2mf.net