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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2370 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Community housing was launched with 200 properties, and it is good to see that it is getting a kick along from the current minister.

When I saw only $125,000 allocated to assist people with short-term emergency accommodation, I was concerned. That will not go a long way. The $80,000-odd allocated to a help line might sound good, but if there is nowhere for people to go they are not going to get much help by ringing up.

Last year $240,000 was allocated for overnight emergency accommodation and $1.5 million was allocated for crisis accommodation and management-a considerable amount to address homelessness. It is a real problem. Like Ms Dundas, I have heard of people sleeping in cars. I have had people in that situation contact my office and personally known of a number of people in that situation. Now that it is winter it is particularly worrying.

The opposition has already expressed its very justifiable concerns over the closing of the men's and children's centre at Kaleen. We continue to stress the need for that centre and that type of centre to be reactivated. I would suggest to the minister that he might like to do that on the south side. I do not make any disparaging remarks about the new group running the new centre. I note, however, that they seem to have a charter for people to stay longer, which means fewer people in crisis can be accommodated. I am sure those who are there are being accommodated well. But there is a real need for men with children.

There is a huge need for single men to be accommodated, according to the welfare groups I talk to and the people who attended the homeless forum I conducted in May. One group turns away 2,000 a year. The YWCA said it turns away about 300 women and children in a year because it cannot put them into crisis accommodation.

There is an argument that maybe some people stay in crisis accommodation for too long. That is something that needs addressing too. But when we have a crucial need, surely it would be a better use of money to spend some of the $3 million the minister has in the slush fund, which will not kick in until the homelessness task force reports in October. We are talking of at least six to 12 months before there is any action. It would be far better to use some of that $3 million now. Spend a few hundred thousand. SAAP comes into the portfolio now, and there is greater funding there. Spend that on addressing the needs.

Create another shelter on the south side for single men. I would suggest reactivating. Give men and children a shelter on the south side. Maybe you can do something to address the needs expressed by the YWCA as well. For a few hundred thousand you could go quite a long to doing that now without waiting until the housing affordability task force brings down its report.

ACTCOSS stated in a press release that Daniel Stubbs put out:

The additional funds to the Affordable Housing Task Force are a good start in ensuring that every Canberran can access adequate accommodation.

I agree with that. He went on to say:

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