Abbott Government places homelessness services at risk in FNQ

 Media Release

The Abbott Government must provide certainty for workers in the housing and homelessness sector and the people they support in the Far North and commit to funding the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.
Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Queensland Senator Jan McLucas said the current agreement expires in June 2014 and the high degree of uncertainty is taking its toll on the sector already.
"If the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness ends in June, it will have far reaching implications, including for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness here in Cairns and the Far North.
"It is only a matter of months before the agreement expires and even less time for organisations to inform their workers about whether they can continue their employment; everyone involved has been left in the dark by the government about what is happening beyond June.
"What is very concerning is that it appears the Federal Government is not even in negotiations with the states and territories about the future of the homelessness services under the agreement."
Ending the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness will place around 80,000 clients at risk and result in the loss of about 180 support programs across Australia.
"Sadly, homelessness is a problem we have right here in our backyard and I am very concerned that the Abbott Government's refusal to continue to fund homelessness services will hit the North particularly hard."
Senator McLucas said it was becoming clearer by the day that the Abbott Government has no plan to address homelessness and housing affordability.
"The lack of interest and attention in progressing the homelessness agreement is yet more evidence that housing and homelessness is just not on the Abbott Government's radar," Senator McLucas said.
"In a few short months, we've seen the abolition of the Prime Minister's Council on Homelessness, the axing of the highly regarded National Housing Supply Council, the removal of the COAG Select Council on Housing and Homelessness and the Commonwealth's withdrawal from the community housing sector's National Regulatory Council.
In Senate Estimates last week, it was revealed that housing and homelessness was not even listed among the host of Ministerial responsibilities on the Department of Social Services' website.
"The Abbott Government must rectify this as the future of housing and homelessness reform in our country is at risk.
"I strongly urge, as does the homelessness sector, for Minister Kevin Andrews to announce the continuation of the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness."
The National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness entails a range of support services for homeless or at risk of homelessness. This includes support for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence, support to assist older people, people with mental health issues and young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.