Page 3605 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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certifier satisfies what is needed. If anyone in this place thinks that we can turn a blind eye to safety provisions, they are indeed wrong. Sleeping rough is dangerous, but there are some that would say sleeping in some form of shelter is also a dangerous place. I also refer to the Canberra Times article, which states:
Chair of the City Uniting Church’s Uniting Care management committee Anne Butler said it would not participate in this project.
“Our hall is used during the evening for various activities,” she said. “I think this government has done really well on homelessness. In the end you need some permanent solutions.”
The church had decided to focus on its early morning centre and to work with St Vincent de Paul with the Street to Home program.
There are some within the sector that recognise this, and they wish the church well in all their endeavours, but there are some that want to focus on their activity as well.
With regard more broadly to homelessness—again, I think it is important that we do all we can as a community and as a society to support those that are homeless—the ACT Labor government see that as a priority. The Canberra Liberals see it as something that is negotiable. So much thought do they give to those that are at risk of homelessness or are indeed sleeping rough, whether you are old or whether you are young, is that it is simply negotiable. Mr Smyth has said to me that that is not what he actually said; it is what people think he said. Maybe he said it; he does not know. I give him the chance to say whether he opposes supporting—
Mr Smyth: See you at the meeting tomorrow.
MS BURCH: Well, you can say it right now. You have to wait for the meeting and get the tone of it. You are sitting on the fence, Mr Smyth.
Mr Smyth: I am not sitting on the fence.
MS BURCH: Do you oppose the cluster house? Do you support the Salvation Army supporting youth homelessness? It is a simple yes or it is a simple no. Do you do that or do you not, Mr Smyth?
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Members, we are not having a conversation, thank you.
MS BURCH: Through you, Mr Speaker, Mr Smyth refuses to accept and say that he will support the Salvation Army in delivering a project and a program that helps the youth that are at risk of homelessness.
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, thank you. You can have a go in a moment.
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