Page 3583 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 November 2022
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MS VASSAROTTI (Kurrajong—Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage, Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services and Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction) (10.34): I support the statement made by the Minister for Housing about the ACT Housing Strategy year 4 report card. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight particularly the partnership work that the ACT government has been undertaking in relation to how we design the specialist homelessness service system in a way that ensures everyone can get access to the support they need at the time they need it. In this work we are united in our commitment to see homelessness in the city become something that is rare, brief, and non-recurring. That will take time, but it is something we are determined to achieve.
As Minister Berry has outlined, this comes at a time when we are investing significant resources in new services and approaches. Over the last two years we have invested over $12 million in new accommodation services and flexible funding, and we have increased the base of current services that are supporting people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. This is progressively delivering on our commitment of $18 million as part of the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement.
We are working with the sector to develop an approach that places codesign, trust and respect at its heart. Through this process, the ACT government is working to ensure that trusted sector partners and people with lived experience are central to the planning, design, and delivery of services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This has seen us engage deeply with the sector. This work has culminated in the commencement of the investment phase of commissioning, which will result in services being funded with long-term service agreements that deliver outcomes for the community and translate Canberra’s vision of a world where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.
We also continue the codesign process on elements, including the central intake service and how to support people with complex needs. This plan builds on the lessons and successes that came out of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and really places trust in the sector and the community to tell us what needs to happen to eliminate homelessness. Homelessness can be solved. It will take time, but through genuine commitment and codesign with those on the frontline of support and those with lived experience, we will fund initiatives that will truly address the complexities of homelessness. I would particularly like to thank our community sector partners who are working with us to design a system that is accessible so that we are able to respond to the issues faced by people who need their support.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Government—land release program—update
Ministerial statement
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella-Manager of Government Business, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.37): The ACT government remains committed to improving housing availability, diversity and choice in response to a growing population. This is reflected
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