HOMELESSNESS AUSTRALIA WELCOMES GREENS’ PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS EMERGENCY

HOMELESSNESS AUSTRALIA WELCOMES GREENS’ PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS EMERGENCY

Homelessness Australia welcomes the Greens’ plan to end homelessness by investing in evidence-based models. 

The Greens Party is today unveiling its proposal increase homelessness support funding nationally, and to build 50,000 ongoing Housing First tenancies, which are based on a housing and support model shown to be successful in ending chronic homelessness. 

The Greens Party has also proposed doubling federal funding to the states for homelessness support and social housing. 

“We know Australians are understandably concerned by seeing more and more people sleeping rough. Our housing crisis has only worsened, with even people on middle incomes struggling to find homes they can afford,” Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin said. 

“If we are going to fix homelessness, we need to fix the housing crisis and provide the support people need to keep their home when they have health problems and other support needs. So we welcome this proposal from the Greens to build more social housing and supported housing options for those experiencing chronic homelessness. 

“We also need homelessness services to be able to help people when they are in crisis, instead of having to turn people away. So we welcome this proposal to increase homelessness funding.

“This policy would make an enormous difference to people who have not been able to get back into homes, and would have an immediate and ongoing impact on the number of people rough sleeping,” Kate Colvin said. 

Australia is facing a homelessness emergency, with chronic homelessness at record levels. 

Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin said while the current Government had turned around decades of neglect when it comes to social housing, more work was needed. 

“Every new home the Federal Government is building is making a life changing difference to a person or family who needs somewhere to live, but to fix the scale of the problem, social housing investment needs to continue, and to be scaled up to meet the level of need,” Kate Colvin said. 

Media contact: Kathleen Ferguson - 0421 522 080