An Australian woman who is one of hundreds denied much-needed home grants after authorities used satellite images to reject them says the battle has taken a toll on her mental health.
Hannah Dodson, 25, is one of hundreds of people who believed they were eligible for HomeBuilder grants of up to $25,000 only for the Queensland government to deny their applications.
On Wednesday the Queensland Revenue Office (QRO) emailed several of the people Daily Mail Australia spoke with to inform them it was reviewing their applications.
Also on Wednesday, the man who set up a Facebook group to connect rejected home grant applicants claimed the government told him it would finally pay him the $25,000.
The QRO rejected Ms Dodson’s application – as well as hundreds of others who applied for the federal government grant – because it said satellite imagery showed construction activity prior to the start date for eligibility, June 4, 2020.
Ms Dodson was rejected despite building a house at Pallara in south Brisbane well after that date.
My eyes lit up and I was already feeling a sense of relief just knowing that this is one step closer to securing the grant! It’s about time,’ Ms Dodson said.
Jenna Leigh Cross, a mum rejected for a $25,000 grant, also said it was ‘about time’ for the review.
‘Applications should have been reviewed more thoroughly. It’s such a shame this has caused stressed for so many families including myself.’
Meanwhile, Gold Coast single dad Clint Calman posted in the Facebook group he set up to connect with rejected grant applicants that he expected to receive the grant in coming days.
‘Just had a phone call from OSR, they have confirmed that they have received advice from Federal Government stating that we do qualify for the grant.
‘I have been told that my payment will be processed in the following days.
‘Congratulations to all that have been affected, you guys will be next and receive the Grant that you genuinely qualify for.’
Ms Cross was left reeling after being denied a $25,000 government grant to buy her first home by the cruel satellite image technicality.
Ms Cross, a 31-year-old flight attendant, was ‘shocked and disappointed’ after being refused the HomeBuilder grant she was planning to put toward building a $400,000 house in Cairns.
The rules said no grants can be paid to an applicant if they built on their block before June 4, 2020.
Although she signed for the house and land package in October 2020, and the slab for her home was only laid in January 2021, Queensland authorities rejected her, citing aerial photos of work before June 2020.
That was four months before she even owned it.
A frustrated Ms Cross, who hasn’t been shown the satellite photos, says they can only show work done prior to sale by the developer.
It cleared and subdivided the land which was previously cane fields, to make it ready for sale.
The Queensland government also rejected at least three of Ms Cross’s neighbours on a new Mount Peter estate in Edmonton, Cairns.
While 85 people have joined the page he said there are probably hundreds more in the same position.
‘I know of a lot more and I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about. Just in my block of 30 townhouses there’s 13 people who were knocked back.’
He claimed dozens of families have been caught out after taking short-term loans or borrowing money from family to get their deposit together.
‘I don’t understand what the Queensland state government has got to gain from knocking back a federal grant anyway?’ Mr Calman said.
‘Is it one person in the office deciding on their own to try and save the federal government some money?’
Mr Calman said he’d contacted federal housing minister Michael Sukkar and had no reply.
A spokesman for Queensland Revenue Office told Daily Mail Australia the rejected applications are now under review.
‘Following a revision by the Commonwealth Government, prompted by the Queensland Government, the Commonwealth has relaxed its guidance allowing a review of previously rejected applications.
‘This is in relation to commencement of construction dates and residency requirements.
‘This also applies to applicants who may have applications pending.’