Homelessness Services

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. How are government agencies working with homelessness service providers in the CBD?

An honourable member: Great question.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (15:01): It certainly is. I thank the member for her question and her deep commitment to helping people who need help in this area particularly. I was really pleased to join representatives from our specialist homelessness services last week to launch a new hub in Adelaide's CBD. The new hub is located just off Whitmore Square and alongside the Baptist Care WestCare site that plays a really important role during both our Code Red and our Code Blue responses for rough sleepers. This opening was attended by multiple members of the Toward Home Alliance. That service manages the services within the CBD and also in the eastern and southern suburbs. Indeed, sir, they manage services in your own electorate as well.

As a testament to the commitment across the community to addressing homelessness, I was so happy to see people from a range of NGOs, Aboriginal community organisations, the SA Housing Authority, DHS, SA Health, SAPOL and many others in the same room. This was also a chance for Ian Cox, the Housing Authority's head of Homelessness Integration to see a key project come to life before he finishes up in his role. I would like to publicly thank Ian for his work in an incredibly tough but critical area, and I am sure it won't be the last time the sector sees Ian in this area.

Back in 2021, the former government introduced reforms to our homelessness system, and while the aims were noble there were a range of shortcomings in how they were delivered in terms of transition and reform. Competition for contracts led to tension in the sector with only a six-week time frame from announcing contracts to starting the new service, meaning there was a huge pressure and tension in the transition.

There were questions about the availability of crisis beds and there wasn't an outcomes framework in place. The contracts they gave homelessness services included just a 0.7 per cent indexation and in their second year when inflation had hit 8 per cent. This was a sad symbol of disrespect for a sector that works with thousands of people every month to prevent or resolve homelessness. They rushed this reform to make an announcement without doing the preparation that was required.

I am really proud to be part of a government that has taken a very different approach in this area. Since being elected, we have been working to take a good idea and make it work on the ground for both providers and clients. We have committed around $17 million extra for homelessness services since the election on top of securing an extra $370 million for new and upgraded social housing.

Last week was another milestone in doing more. The new hub has been named Paya'adlu. I thank and commend both Deb and Jack Buckskin for working together to provide that Kaurna name. This name means to sit, listen and learn. I couldn't think of a better name for such a service. The hub creates a co-working space for Toward Home Alliance members to come together, along with key government agencies, to thrive, to facilitate and encourage innovation and collaboration.

People experiencing homelessness often have multiple barriers and challenges in place in order to secure a place. Where the different organisations can come together is so important to delivering those outcomes. We have already seen great innovation from Toward Home, especially in working with non-traditional partners like councils and local real estate agents in order to deliver these new services. This has included Terra Firma, a pet-friendly boarding house in the CBD that works alongside another new boarding house developed by Carrington Cottages. This one was supported in partnership with the housing authority, matching a $1 million donation from a benevolent family. The alliance system is working progressively and will keep driving change and improvements to ensure South Australians in crisis know they have a safe and supportive place to turn to for help.