26 Mar 2025
Words
John Miller
The Priority Project: Delivering on a Pledge
In September 2024, Informer first brought readers’ attention to The Priority Project, Mission Australia’s bold initiative to help domestic and family violence victims (DFV) move from crisis accommodation to permanent accommodation in the private rental market.
Mission Australia launched the landmark project in October 2023 in partnership with The Salvation Army, and with the support of REIQ, to encourage property managers and landlords in South East Queensland to prioritise property rentals for women and their dependents who had experienced DFV.
Janet Maher, Area Manager, Mission Australia, explained the program when Informer first spoke to her in 2024.
“The women we help with The Priority Project are still in the private rental market,” said Janet. “What we’re asking landlords to do is prioritise their properties for women that meet our eligibility criteria. It’s giving women a chance to be prioritised to get them the housing they and their children need.”
More than a year on, Mission Australia has released its evaluation of this first-of-a-kind program. Mission Australia reported an annual savings of $612,873 (during the evaluation period) across housing, healthcare and outcomes for women and children. Furthermore, it found the program is replicable and therefore able to be delivered elsewhere in Australia and scaled in South East Queensland.
To date, the project has helped 38 women secure housing. During the seven-month evaluation period, the project helped 72 people — 23 women and 49 dependents — find safe, secure and stable rental housing. Of the 23 involved in the evaluation, some were happy to share how the program had positively impacted their lives, speaking anonymously to protect their identities.
“I feel a lot more relaxed to come home, I don’t have anxiety if I go home 15 minutes late wondering what his mood is like, I don’t have anxiety, I can actually sit down without someone criticising me for being lazy, it’s taken a whole lot off my shoulders,” said woman #1 housed by The Priority Project.
“My independence and having my own place and having that control over my kids and my life … now I can see that my kids are happy, and I can see I’m getting control of my life, the freedom, the independence,” said woman #2 housed by The Priority Project.
“We would probably still be living in motels, I really don’t know where we’d be, we have no family around here …The patience they had with me … I couldn’t send emails, I couldn’t do anything, it was just a time, I just thought, give up, it’s just too hard. For a second I thought, maybe just go back to my husband,” said woman #3 housed by The Priority Project.
“We are thrilled to continue providing this service and thankful to the many property managers and property owners who support us,” said Project Lead Nicole Peterman and Partnership Broker Elizabeth Lowe.
How Can I Help?
Landlords can add their properties to The Priority Project register at any time or have their letting agent do this. Just email thepriorityproject@missionaustralia.com.au
Read REIQ’s statement here.
