Ministerial Statement

Inner City Street Crew

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) (14:04): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: In mid-2016, Housing SA implemented an extreme weather response for people sleeping rough in partnership with inner city homelessness services. The Code Blue response provides emergency shelter, food, clothing and respite for homeless people during extreme weather events. While Code Blue was activated during July 2016, 128  people received assistance, 92 of whom were not known to the system or engaged with a support service.

Owing to its success, the extreme weather response has now been expanded to include Code Red for extreme heat events, and in February 2017 alone Code Red activation assisted 107 people over three nights. These initiatives are part of a redesign of the inner city service response for rough sleepers, which also includes the development of an updated Street to Home service commencing shortly, with implementation over the next six months.

While Street to Home is being updated, an immediate response known as Street Crew has been put in place. The initiative aims to connect rough sleepers to case management support, health services and housing outcomes by undertaking assertive street work. The Street Crew works from 1pm to 7pm seven days a week, complementing the 7am to 1pm Street to Home service.

This initiative is a collaboration between the state government and non-government agencies, and we will be providing $440,000 to existing inner city homelessness agencies to deliver the program, including Baptist Care, Hutt Street Centre, Uniting Communities, HYPA, and Housing SA. I am also pleased to inform the house that Uniting Communities are expanding their current Streetlink service as part of the initiative to assist rough sleepers of all ages to access general practitioner and registered nurse health services.

South Australia's specialist homelessness services sector is vital to the community and currently receives about $50 million in assistance from the federal government through the National Affordable Housing Agreement and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness. The sector is comprised of 40 providers who coordinate 75 programs across the state.

Street Crew is just another example of the fine work our NGO sector is able to do with support from government. Unfortunately, like other programs, it will be at risk if the Turnbull Liberal government decides to cut funding in the upcoming federal budget.

Mr Pederick: They might raise it too.

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Hammond to order.

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Was that the member for Wright I heard interjecting?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call to order the member for Wright.