Tasmania Home Stories Winter 2024

Your tips: energy saving

Resident Profile - Tony

Energy consumption in Tasmania peaks in winter, which means electricity bills do too. In our last edition of Home Stories , we asked you to share your best energy saving tips for a chance to win a $50 voucher. Congratulations to our lucky winner Kade who sent in the tip: Turn off modems and gaming consoles when you’re not using them. Thanks Kade!

When Don resident Tony moved into his property in September last year, he wasn’t expecting to add another volunteer position to his busy schedule, but that is just what happened. Tony moved into his unit in Don after living with and caring for his mother for the last six years. While he was grateful for the space, he also needed a place to call his own. When he was offered a two-bedroom unit in Don, he made the move. “This place isn't far from where I grew up. But it’s also far enough away that it gives me complete independence” he said. The process of housing allocations is something Tony is very familiar with, as he’s on the Aboriginal Tenancy Allocation Panel for North-West Tasmania. The panel meets when an Aboriginal housing property becomes available, and provide recommendations to the social housing provider about who would be a suitable tenant for the property. As well as this, Tony is the pataway delegate on the Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation board. “I've been on the board now for nearly two years in October... When I first got involved with our community, we were having four people come along to our branch meetings. The other day

we had 28. That’s in under two years. Information is being shared about what happens in our community a lot more, so people now want to know what's going on,” he said. At the moment Tony is studying family history, which he also uses to help community members discover more about their own history. He also holds diplomas in Aboriginal Governance and Aboriginal Legal Advocacy, and an Indigenous Leadership certificate. “I do keep rather busy with community stuff. I think all these things are very important.” After moving into a Housing Choices property, he was asked to join the Tasmanian Resident Advisory Committee. Tony accepted and attended his first meeting in May. And all this is just the tip of the iceberg – he's also volunteered at two Olympic games, sound engineered for Jessica Mauboy and started a hockey competition! “I’m going to write a book one day!” he jokes.

Our Spring Gardening Competition for 2024 is just around the corner, so start planning now! More details will be available in the next edition of Home Stories , don’t miss it! Spring Gardening Competition

Above: Don resident and proud palawa man Tony, never sits still for long.

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