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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-06-20 Daily Xml
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Motions

Housing Legal Clinic

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. T.A. Franks:

That this council—

1. Notes that the funding agreement for the Housing Legal Clinic ends on 30 June 2018; and

2. Calls on the South Australian government to commit to renewing funding for a further three years in order for the service to continue.

(Continued from 6 June 2018).

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (16:53): I rise to speak on behalf of government members in relation to this motion. The Housing Legal Clinic operates under the Welfare Rights Centre (WRC) and provides pro bono legal services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Services are provided across metropolitan and regional South Australia. The WRC is a community legal service, providing free legal advice and assistance to South Australians in tenancy and social security law.

In 2017-18, the WRC was allocated funding of $172,000 to run the HLC. The service agreement for this service was due to expire on 30 June 2018. The WRC was previously funded by the Attorney-General's Department to provide statewide specialist community legal services. The WRC was not successful in a competitive procurement process for these services and, indeed, Uniting Communities was the successful tenderer, and funding to WRC for these functions ceased as at 30 June 2017.

In September 2017, the former government approved the provision of additional once-off funding of $300,000 to the WRC to deliver the expanded welfare rights service to South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) clients. This service agreement will expire on 30 September 2018.

In May 2018, the WRC submitted a proposal to the Department of Human Services requesting a total of $475,000 per annum for a minimum of two years to continue the services currently provided by the WRC. The Minister for Human Services has approved an extension of funding to the HLC until 30 September 2018 to align with the expiry of the expanded welfare rights service agreement with the WRC. This extension will allow the new housing authority time to consider how this funding is providing a service element that is meeting a service gap/need in the community and assisting in preventing homelessness.

The housing authority will review and provide advice to the government on the future of this service and the most effective and efficient means of providing legal support to the community. It should be noted that without both the funding for the HLC and the funding for the expanded welfare rights service it is likely the WRC will cease to function.

In conclusion, I note that the funding has been extended until 30 September 2018. The government is committed to ensuring full consideration is given to how this funding can continue to provide a service element that is meeting a service gap/need in the community and assisting in preventing homelessness. As such, the government will not support this motion because it disagrees with the suggested time frames in the motion.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (16:56): I rise to speak on the Hon. Tammy Franks' motion in support of the Housing Legal Clinic. The Housing Legal Clinic provides a vital service free of charge to vulnerable South Australians who are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The Housing Legal Clinic works with legal firms that provide pro bono advice to clients at many emergency relief locations across South Australia. Clients receive quality legal advice, referrals and minor representation to people who may not usually be able to afford legal assistance.

The Housing Legal Clinic has been providing these important and critical services to South Australians for many years, and this service is now at risk. Unfortunately, it looks like the service provided by the Housing Legal Clinic may be coming to an end. The Housing Legal Clinic's funding contract with the state government comes to an end on 30 June 2018. This funding is approximately $175,000 per annum. At this moment in time, it does not look like the Marshall Liberal government intends on continuing funding to support vulnerable people in our community through the great work provided by the Housing Legal Clinic.

Shadow minister for human services, Nat Cook MP, has recently met with the service providers in this space that have not been given funding certainty beyond Sunday 1 July 2018. Community service providers in the disability, housing and employment sectors have all expressed concern about the funding issues they face and how this can impact on job security and losses for the workers in this sector. The case of the funding for the Housing Legal Clinic goes to show how little respect or care is given by the Marshall Liberal government for the human services sector in South Australia and all the vulnerable people in our community it serves.

I think it is about time the minister showed some leadership, which the sector and the community members they serve are crying out for, by supporting the Housing Legal Clinic with the necessary funds and resources to continue operating past Sunday 1 July 2018.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:59): I rise briefly to express my thanks for the contributions of the Hon. John Dawkins and the Hon. Justin Hanson. I am disappointed that the government has quibbled. While supporting the intent of the motion in many ways and guaranteeing three months' additional funding, they have quibbled over the use of 'three years' and the call for three years' funding. This is a sector that needs certainty. Given that we will not know the outcome of the budget with the three-month guarantee, we still have no certainty. With those few words, I commend the motion and hope that this council can show its support for this sector beyond three months.

The council divided on the motion:

Ayes 11

Noes 8

Majority 3

AYES
Bourke, E.S. Franks, T.A. (teller) Hanson, J.E.
Hunter, I.K. Maher, K.J. Ngo, T.T.
Pangallo, F. Parnell, M.C. Pnevmatikos, I.
Scriven, C.M. Wortley, R.P.
NOES
Darley, J.A. Dawkins, J.S.L. Hood, D.G.E.
Lee, J.S. Lensink, J.M.A. (teller) Ridgway, D.W.
Stephens, T.J. Wade, S.G.
PAIRS
Bonaros, C. Lucas, R.I.

Motion thus carried.

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