Homelessness

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding homelessness. After announcing a $20 million Homelessness Prevention Fund almost two years ago, can the minister explain why barely 10 per cent of this has been committed; how much has actually been spent and not just committed; and why is the minister sitting on dedicated funds for preventing homelessness when people are sleeping on the streets and in the Parklands?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:11): I thank the honourable member for recycling one of Labor's previous questions but it gives me the opportunity to respond again in relation to homelessness and our reforms to the homelessness system.

Indeed, there is record funding being spent in South Australia on homelessness, over $72 million, both through the new Homelessness Alliance, which is about $50 million, plus some other existing contracts of some $20 million on an annual basis. In relation to the number of clients, we have some 20,000 every year, and the service works out to be quite an expensive spend per client in terms of the services, which is why we decided to reform the services.

The Homelessness Prevention Fund is something we had in our housing strategy, so it is $20 million over 10 years, so $2 million a year. We put some $6 million out to the sector to seek projects which would be considered to be innovative and work in that prevention space, so that was the criteria. We received some tenders and shortlisted but in the end we were only able to award funding for Kids Under Cover, which provides relocatable studios, so that program is working through the homelessness specialist service providers. Some young people find it intolerable to remain in the family home, or they might be living with grandparents or the like, so this can help with those overcrowding situations.

That funding was awarded. There were a number of submissions which didn't fit the criteria and therefore they weren't able to be funded. The existing homelessness services which receive significant funds we believe will operate in a much more effective manner to prevent people from cycling in and out of homelessness services, as they have for a long period of time—or a certain cohort have—and we need to be working better in that prevention end to stop people from falling into homelessness in the first place. And, memo to the Labor Party: homelessness has not increased in South Australia, the trend is actually going down.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hood has the call.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Supplementary.

The PRESIDENT: I had called the Hon. Mr Hood before you had risen so I will—

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I was on my feet first, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: I will give you the credit, but you need to get up more quickly. I will give a supplementary to the deputy leader.