Page 1357 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 6 May 2015
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Data published in the March 2015 First Point report shows that as at the end of March this year 705 people had contacted First Point for homelessness accommodation. This is substantially higher than the 12-month average of 632 people. In March this year First Point placed only six per cent of people waiting for homelessness accommodation—only six per cent. So not only do we have incredibly long waiting times for people with complex and urgent need for housing but we have the gateway service, First Point, not being able to get people into homelessness services. So we do need a plan from the government to manage and fix this.
Ms Fitzharris also noted in her motion that this policy allows public housing tenants to be integrated into communities, for children to attend schools across Canberra and for tenants of all ages to have access to services, communities and support structures that meet their individual needs. Once again, I absolutely agree with that sentiment. However, the ACT government’s own transport for Canberra 2012-31 plan states:
For some areas on the fringes of suburbs (e.g. … Chisholm) the circuitous street layout and hilly topography make it difficult to provide public transport within a reasonable walking distance of some households, and make the car an easier travel option. Housing near transport corridors such as Northbourne Avenue have access to high frequency public transport.
My question to the government on that is: how will relocating public housing tenants away from areas of high frequency public transport to areas where it may be more difficult to provide public transport within a reasonable walking distance of home assist tenants to access services, communities and support structures? How will a person living on a low income be able to access services, communities and support structures if they live in a suburb that has limited public transport, especially if they do not drive a car?
Many Canberrans face limited access to the ACT private rental market. This reinforces our need for an effective and efficient public housing system that enables public housing tenants to easily access services, communities and support structures that meet their individual needs.
Ms Fitzharris mentioned the public meeting at the Gungahlin library this week about the ACT government’s proposed supportive housing development on Kelleway Avenue in Nicholls. I would like to make a few points about that. Firstly, if people have misunderstood what supportive housing may be, I would see that as a failure on the part of the government and the department to adequately inform people. It is not those people’s fault that they have not been informed what the housing complex will encompass.
The signage there, as I understand it, has indicated that a community facility will be built on the site. Madam Speaker, you and I might understand that that includes a supportive housing complex, but many other people in the community may have been under the impression that a community facility to be built might be a sporting complex or something that was of benefit to the entire community. What we as bureaucrats, if you like, understand by the terminology may not be what is perceived to be the case in the general community. Once again I believe that the onus is on the government to adequately inform people about that.
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