Tenant Amnesty - NSW Department of Communities & Justice

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is responsible for providing safe and sustainable housing for people who need it most. The department engaged Punchy Studio to create an animated video to address the communication challenge of launching a temporary tenant amnesty and encouraging residents to report changes to their circumstances. The brief was to notify DCJ housing and Aboriginal housing tenants of the amnesty dates and explain that those who declared additional income or unauthorised residents during this window would be protected from penalties. We produced a professional animated explainer video that details the specific financial assets and household changes that should be reported to ensure a fairer public housing system. Our approach focused on a transparent and reassuring narrative, highlighting that participants would not be required to pay back rent for declarations made during the amnesty period. The video is deployed on the DCJ amnesty website and through community housing networks to reach tenants across New South Wales. By combining professional scripting, custom animation, and a clear voiceover, we effectively simplified complex reporting requirements into a supportive public announcement. Direct motion graphics reinforce the call to action, providing the official amnesty website and contact number for tenants to make their declarations.