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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-09-23 Daily Xml
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Homelessness

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding homelessness.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Yesterday, the minister was asked about the desperate circumstance of Kate and Liam, who had their rental home sold out from under them and then moved into a caravan park before being told that they would have to leave before Monday as holidays begin at the park. In response the minister said:

I don't know whether Kate and Liam have been in contact with my office to get further assistance or indeed with the South Australian Housing Authority to be placed on the waiting list for public housing—if the Labor Party have known about this information I would urge them to provide those details to my office straightaway so that we can follow those up and we would seek to provide services to this family.

To clear up any doubts, Kate and Liam's situation was raised with the shadow minister for human services on Monday. An email was sent to the minister on Tuesday at 12.51pm and then a question was asked of the minister on Wednesday. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why can't Kate and Liam get a case worker after five weeks of contacting the Towards Home Alliance that the minister put in charge of homelessness services, inner city and southern areas?

2. How many people who are living temporarily in caravan parks are going to be evicted and sleeping in their cars or on the streets by Monday because of school holiday demand?

3. Is the failure to provide a case manager after five weeks any kind of failure under the homelessness contracts that the minister personally signed?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for her question and indeed I have checked with my officers and we did receive correspondence about this matter, but I might point out for the honourable members who think that—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —it is my job to follow up every piece of correspondence that comes into my office that—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Leader of the Opposition is out of order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —we do receive a large number—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The Leader of the Opposition—

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, resume your seat, please. Now, Leader of the Opposition, your colleague asked a question, the minister is responding to it, but at the moment myself and others in this chamber can't hear the response because you are bellowing.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Thank you for your protection, Mr President. I mean, the Leader of the Opposition always acts as if I should perhaps be answering the phone, personally responding to every email. We have a large number of officers in our agencies and they are very diligent and they get on with these things.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Indeed, I receive a lot of compliments about the way my agency deals with these matters.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I am not actually praising myself; I am actually praising the staff.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I will particularly commend the ministerial liaison officers who work in my office and who understand the system very well and follow up these matters immediately. I am sure they have been following up this matter in the same manner that they do with all other matters to ensure that we are providing services to all those people in need.

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