Coronavirus, Homeless Accommodation

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding measures to address homelessness. Can the minister please provide an update to the council about how the Marshall Liberal government has provided support to South Australians experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for her question and for her interest in this area. The South Australian Housing Authority strongly recognises work with the specialist homelessness sector, which is a range of non-government organisations and community housing providers throughout South Australia. One area that is well known is the Adelaide Zero Project, which focuses on functional zero homelessness for the City of Adelaide. My understanding is that we are closer to that goal than ever.

It has been essential, as people have been at risk of homelessness or domestic and family violence, that we provide additional support particularly during the COVID restrictions. From 23 March this year, the authority was providing commercial accommodation through hotels for people who were sleeping rough or who did not have safe accommodation.

At 12 June, the program, called CEARS, ceased accepting new rough sleepers into the program. There are services that existed previously which we are now reliant upon to continue responses as appropriate. After 10 June, these include regular homelessness responses through the Homelessness Gateway service, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The four specialist homelessness services agencies support the inner city response and they have received additional funding to employ case management to ensure that people are connected with support. All participants who were eligible and maintained accepted support were transitioned into longer term housing with a 12-month package of support, which has included linking up necessary services and long-term supports.

As of 4 September, there are no longer any rough sleepers under the CEARS program. We have accommodated 250 people through that program and, as a Vanguard City under the Institute of Global Homelessness, Adelaide has been described as one of the bright spots during the COVID crisis, so we are very grateful to all of our non-government partners.

I express gratitude particularly to all the frontline workers who have been involved in case managing and assisting people through this process, and we look forward to placing people through Adelaide Zero and through the continued reforms in the homelessness sector.