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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-29 Daily Xml
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Adelaide Zero Project

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (15:30): I want to talk today about the Adelaide Zero Project, which is heading towards a functional zero homelessness project, headed up by the Don Dunstan Foundation in the Adelaide CBD. It has recently been released, and the idea is to get to zero functional homelessness by 2020. It has seen support from over 30 organisations, as well as from members on both sides of this house.

Historically, homelessness in Adelaide's CBD sits at an average of around 120 people per night, which is totally unacceptable. The concept of functional zero homelessness is a new approach to ending homelessness first pioneered by Community Solutions and successfully adopted both in the United States and internationally. It involves a coordinated, broad-based process for matching the needs for housing with available supply.

In achieving functional zero homelessness, the number of people sleeping rough in our community should be no greater than the average housing capacity. It is a dynamic solution to homelessness that enables organisations to better coordinate resources to quickly meet the needs of those sleeping rough. It is an exciting concept and an exciting opportunity for Adelaide, which has the opportunity to be the first city to achieve functional zero street homelessness outside North America. This is a fantastic community-focused solution that delivers with a real focus on the individual confronting street homelessness.

I was honoured to sign the memorandum of understanding between the state government and the Don Dunstan Foundation as the then parliamentary secretary for housing and urban development last year, alongside David Pearson of the Don Dunstan Foundation, Lord Mayor Martin Haese, Joe Formichella of Bendigo Bank, and Dame Louise Casey, Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Institute of Global Homelessness. In joining the select group of six vanguard cities across six continents, the Adelaide CBD is now a key part of the 'A place to call home' campaign, an initiative of the Institute of Global Homelessness, in setting ambitious but achievable goals in alleviating global homelessness.

I would like to thank everyone involved in this initiative—the Don Dunstan Foundation, as well as key partners Bendigo Bank, Flinders University, the University of Adelaide, the Aboriginal Sobriety Group, Baptist Care SA, AnglicareSA, Catherine House, Housing Choices South Australia, Hutt Street Centre, the Salvation Army, Neami National, Uniting Communities, Life Without Barriers, End Homelessness SA, OARS Community Transitions, St John's Youth Services, Community Sector Banking, Mercy Foundation, the Broadley Trust and Service to Youth Council. I am sorry if I have missed anybody. The people in these organisations are one of the few groups of workers I know who actually want to do themselves out of a job.

I would like to briefly also touch on the recent troubles in the sector around the Hutt Street Centre. I put on record my thanks to the Premier for stepping up last week and supporting the centre and the great work they do. Fraudulent information has been circulated around the east end of the city about Hutt Street and their clients, pointing to a dark underbelly, the dark underbelly of some in our community who are attacking the Hutt Street Centre for what can only be assumed is their own personal gain.

I want to echo a comment concerning this fraudulent Hutt Street Centre letter, which was sent last week to nearby residents, made by Shelter SA led by a formidable spokesperson, Dr Alice Clark. Shelter SA recently tweeted:

The new race to the bottom, false claims about redevelopment, unrelated images and one of the worst cases of NIMBYISM we've ever seen—who is behind this campaign to incite fear and hatred towards our most vulnerable?

That is a good question. It really is incumbent on those opposite, particularly the Premier, to completely rule out that any Liberal Party member was involved in the fraudulent letter that was distributed in order to intimidate and incite local Adelaide city residents.

We have all seen comments from councillors Ann Moran and Alex Antic, both of whom have very strong Liberal Party affiliations. Councillor Moran is certainly on the record as having a desire to relocate the Hutt Street Centre. It really is time that the Premier shows big leadership, rules out any Liberal Party member involvement and distances himself from the comments and behaviour of people like councillors Moran and Antic. He must demonstrate to South Australians that the Liberal Party has clean hands in relation to this disgusting campaign.

With Alex Antic all but set to assume a place on the Senate ticket, I would advise him to start thinking in big, broad strokes. We need our federal representatives fighting for every South Australian, in particular the vulnerable. While all that some want to do is play in this game and point political fingers, I acknowledge that many in this place, certainly on this side and including the member for Adelaide and also the Minister for Human Services in the other place, are committed to eradicating homelessness. I am committed to help all over South Australia. I commend the great work of organisations like the Don Dunstan Foundation and ask that everyone sticks together to reduce homelessness.

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