National Homelessness Week

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Can the minister advise the chamber of some activities in the National Homelessness Week?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his question. National Homelessness Week 2018 is being held from 6 to 12 August to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness, the issues they face and actions required to achieve solutions. The theme for this year is 'Ending homelessness together'.

In South Australia, there are many key events which are going to be held as part of National Homelessness Week. This includes: Walk a Mile in My Boots, which is held to support the Hutt St Centre, one on 3 August and one in the Adelaide CBD on 10 August, which are significant fundraising events for that organisation.

We also have, on 8 August, the Don Dunstan Foundation's Homelessness Conference, which is being held at the Adelaide Convention Centre. It, too, has a theme of 'Sharing solutions to end homelessness', and the conference will explore innovative ways that public, community and private sectors can work together to address homelessness. They will provide an update on their Adelaide Zero Project at that event. There is also an annual memorial service on 10 August, which is to be held at 1pm in Victoria Square. I urge all honourable members to attend those events.

Clearly, there are a number of South Australians, over 20,000 annually, who struggle to find somewhere to stay. A number of these people are fleeing domestic violence, 40 per cent are children and young people, and a significant number are from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. The sector receives over $60 million annually in South Australia, and this funds some 74 programs through 37 service providers in the state.

Reducing homelessness through preventing people from falling into homelessness is one of the key focuses of the new Housing Authority and I was very pleased that, as part of our 100-day plan, we were able to establish that by 1 July. It will take a much more strategic approach into the future. It is also worth reminding honourable members of the difficulty we found ourselves in that was revealed by the triennial review. This confirmed that the housing system was struggling to meet demand, which can all be laid at the feet of the previous government.

At its peak, the Housing Trust had some 60,000 properties in South Australia which, by 2017, had fallen to 39,000. When cash has been short the Labor government reduced the cash balance of the Housing Trust, sold Housing Trust properties and/or cut the Housing Trust maintenance budget. In a 10-year period alone, it sold 7½ thousand properties to reap $1 billion, most of which was not reinvested in social housing. In the last financial year alone, $70 million was raided from that entity. At the same time, people in the private rental market are struggling, with rental stress for low income earners increasing from 22 per cent to 39 per cent.

We have a situation where we definitely have some major challenges in housing. The new Housing Authority is working assiduously in terms of establishing new systems and seeking new board members, as well as engaging in partnerships with the non-government sector and developing new models, so that we can address the need not only in the social housing sector but also look across to the affordable areas in an attempt to manage this problem, which we are determined to work on.