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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-08-24 Daily Xml
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Homelessness

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding homelessness. Minister, what level of disadvantage and poverty do you think is acceptable for Aboriginal people, currently in Adelaide, to endure under your watch? Secondly, can the minister understand why many senior members of the Aboriginal community believe that the minister and her policies have failed them?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:11): I thank the honourable member for his question, although he needs to be very careful about how he characterises what various stakeholders think about these things, because certainly my advice—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: My advice as—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I ask that the opposition listen to the minister and let her—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: As I might remind him, as he frequently reminds us, people read Hansard. I will just provide a little bit more background in relation to this. Indeed, the chief executive has provided some comments in relation to this which I think is worth providing to the chamber. She stated:

The recent lockdown and ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 make it more urgent than ever that we discuss longstanding service models and consider new and better ways of making a truly positive impact for the people we serve.

I think it is worth commending that during the seven-day lockdown that agencies, the non-government sector, the South Australian Housing Authority, the Department of Human Services, and others—I think Renewal SA was also involved in the provision of one of its properties to ensure that we were able to move very quickly and keep people safe.

In relation to the task force, the task force has piloted some innovative service models to fit with the current trend and assist people with health needs, court matters and opportunities to return home. There was recently a fantastic first meeting with APY executive and Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation members, with support raised for a memorandum of understanding that will make it clear how these two groups can work in partnership.

Elders agreed they, and their respective board members, need to be at the table to work in collaboration with government agencies when service mapping conversations occur. The task force was in the process of identifying and contacting relevant services, including those not part of the funded service system, to discuss service models and new approaches. A lot of that is very much in government-speak but what it speaks to is that the government is very serious about working with Aboriginal people in deep discussion with elders. I know that the Aboriginal division of DPC has also been involved in this task force work, and we are working for positive outcomes for people to keep them safe.

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