Salvos Sleepout

Mr FULBROOK (Playford) (15:07): I rise to show my appreciation to the many people who are joining me and my office crew this weekend and sleeping rough as part of this year's Salvation Army sleepout. In doing so, with three sleeps to go before the big event, there is still time for anyone listening to get involved. For the first time, the Salvos Sleepout will be held within the electorate I represent, in Parafield Gardens.

While I am proud of all the hard work of the local congregation to secure and organise this event, in many ways I wish it was not really necessary. The sleepout is not just about having a bit of fun while collecting much-needed funds; it is also an opportunity to raise awareness for those without a safe place to call home or struggling to make ends meet. Bringing the event to Parafield Gardens for the first time is also a good opportunity to underline that homelessness is not just confined to the doorways of our cities but something on the rise in suburbia and beyond.

I have said a few times already in this chamber that we did not get to this problem overnight. We are in this mess because large vestiges of society, including previous governments both Liberal and Labor, did not see it as a problem. While it is good we now have elements of the media labelling the situation a 'housing crisis', this is a fairly new term and, prior to its creation, it seemed the continual increase in property values was the only thing they reported on. We are now at a point where we need to accept that for this problem to be addressed.

As a country, we need to work together, and we will only succeed if we have the collective will to do so. There has been some progress made at government level, which I am pleased to be associated with, but I think there is no argument from policymakers that there is a huge amount of heavy lifting that remains. Always part of this equation is the Salvation Army as one of the leading providers of homelessness services in Australia.

As mentioned, this event is not just about raising funds; it is also a massive rallying call to see who also dares to care. I am heartened by the likes of Harcourts which, as a major real estate agency, have come on board to cement where they stand on this national problem. At the local level, we have seen agents like Paul Whitney raise thousands of dollars for this worthy cause.

Paul is not alone and, like so many, is committed because he knows his efforts will be put to good use. As an example, $50 will provide school lunches for a week for a struggling family, $120 keeps a family from missing out on meals for a week, $250 covers the shortfall in rent for a person facing hardship and $700 will provide one week of accommodation, helping them to feel safe and cared for.

It is not too late if you want to join in and sleep overnight or if you want to donate. For those wanting to experience what it is like to sleep rough, you have until the close of business tomorrow to sign up, and there is an expectation of raising a minimum of $100. The best way of doing this is to jump online and do a google search for Salvos Sleepout SA, where you can either register or find a participant like me to sponsor.

There are some fantastic members of the Salvation Army in Parafield Gardens I have had the privilege to work with since I was elected, none more so than corps officers Lieutenants Aaron and Keryn Coombes. These great people have done a fantastic job pulling this event together and, on behalf of my community, I want to pass on my thanks and appreciation for this and the many other wonderful things the team do in making a difference to the lives of my neighbours.

I know that there are others like them across communities in Australia who care enough to make a difference. If you feel the same way too, please take a few moments to jump online and consider what you can do to support this year's Salvos Sleepout.