Homelessness

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (15:08): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the minister representing the Minister for Planning on the topic of people living in caravans.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: This week, it has been reported that Ms Kaylene Swan Hussey is facing homelessness after being served a notice of eviction from a caravan she was living in on a private property with permission of the landowner. The City of Playford, which issued the eviction notice, said that they had an obligation to enforce legislation which requires development approval for living in a recreational vehicle on private land for a period of longer than 30 days.

According to the South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness, there were 212 people actively homeless in Adelaide's inner city at the end of September this year, with the current residential vacancy rate for Adelaide sitting at just 0.4 per cent. Indeed, we are in the midst of the worst housing crisis in generations. My questions to the minister therefore are:

1. Is the government considering changing the legislation to allow people experiencing homelessness to live in caravans on private property without development approval?

2. What is the Malinauskas government doing to provide short-term solutions for people who just need somewhere to live?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his question and for outlining the particular circumstances of the woman he mentioned. I am happy to take it on notice and refer it to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development and Minister for Planning in the other place.