Housing SA

Mr GEE (Napier) (15:12): My question is to the Minister for Social Housing—

Mr Pengilly: The man of the moment.

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss is warned.

Mr GEE: How is Housing SA implementing a new service model to assist low income and vulnerable clients?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:13): I thank the member for Napier for his question and also his interest in this topic. Housing SA is currently improving the way it does business to better meet the needs of its clients and community expectations. The organisation's capacity to respond to our changing customer base is the main focus of the new service delivery model which has been progressively rolled out across all areas of the state.

The core business of Housing SA is not just about finding accommodation; we want to see this as the first of many steps in the right direction for our clients. The new service delivery model, connecting people to place, provides a more intensive level of support for vulnerable clients, based on an understanding of the risks they face. The reform includes new tools and work processes focusing on risk and vulnerability to assist both customers and staff. For example, the risk and vulnerability framework assists in identifying and responding to people whose safety and/or tenancies are at risk of failure, to help prevent a cycle of homelessness and of crisis care.

During home visits, housing officers are also required to sight all children under the age of five who are known to reside at the property and to inquire as to the whereabouts of any absent children. This information is now used in assessments conducted by the Multi-Agency Protection Service. Following implementation of the model, more than 1,500 individuals and families have been connected with support services—both internal and external—to help sustain their tenancies. The model links with activities outlined in the Northern Economic Plan to ensure our investment in housing maintenance and upgrades supports employment opportunities for local residents.

The work that the government is doing in social housing shows that not only can we deliver an accommodation service to the most vulnerable in our community, but we can work to address long-term issues as well. The economic transition issues of the north will not be simple or easy to address, but this work by Housing SA, in cooperation with the work done by Renewal SA, will be part of the solution.