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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 3931 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

in the table remains the same. Copies of the corrigenda papers have been sent to all parties to whom the annual report has been provided.

Subordinate legislation

Mr Wood presented the following paper:

Legislation Act, pursuant to section 64-

Public Place Names Act-Public Place Names 2002, No 18 (Street Nomenclature-Gungahlin)-Disallowable Instrument DI2002-192 (LR, 11 November 2002).

Community Services and Social Equity-Standing Committee

Report No 2-government response

MR WOOD (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for the Arts and Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services) (3.48): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the following paper:

Community Services and Social Equity-Standing Committee-Report No 2-Accommodation and support services for homeless men and their children (presented 22 August 2002)-Government response, dated November 2002.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

I have a tabling statement. People who are homeless are among the most marginalised and disadvantaged in our community. It is incumbent on the government to do everything possible to prevent homelessness, and provide adequate support services when homelessness occurs. This is no easy task, and is not one that lends itself to ad hoc solutions.

In recent years, gaps in the provision of services to the homeless have been identified in the findings of numerous reports and consultation forums, including the report of the standing committee. What has clearly emerged from these deliberations is the absolute requirement for a coordinated whole-of-government approach to this complex issue.

Ironically, the complexity of this issue is exacerbated in the ACT because of the relative individual affluence of people in the Canberra community. Lack of accommodation and support for people in the ACT reflects a much greater divide between the haves and the have-nots than may be the case in other parts of Australia. Despite this, it is surprising that there has not been a comprehensive strategy developed to address the issue of homelessness in the ACT.

In order to escape the extent of the problem and provide a basis for a more long-term approach to tackling homelessness and related support issues, the government commissioned the ACT Council of Social Service to undertake a needs analysis for homelessness. The report-Analysis of Homelessness in the ACT-was delivered to government in July this year. In September, we conducted a community consultation forum to test the veracity of the findings of the report. Further, we discussed with

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