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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-08-25 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Homelessness

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding homelessness.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: We are informed that a task force that's investigating antisocial behaviour and violence in the Parklands has apparently been meeting for months, yet there has been no announcement, no public discussion, no public information of its formation or actions.

The only publicity to date about this task force has been an ABC report that the minister's chief executive sought to close down a street kitchen for the homeless, yet over the last few months the minister has announced all sorts of things, including a change to public housing asset limits that, as the minister admitted in this place yesterday, won't house a single new person. In response to a question yesterday, the minister said, 'It's also about transparency for people, being honest with people.' My questions for the minister are:

1. Given the minister's habit of announcing things with no practical effect and yesterday's claim of transparency and honesty, why is this secret task force so shrouded in mystery?

2. When exactly was this task force formed?

3. Who sits on the secret task force?

4. Is there any representation from SA Health; if so, who is the individual from SA Health on the task force?

The PRESIDENT: Before calling the minister, I would observe that there was quite a bit of opinion in that explanation.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for his question. I do thank you, Mr President, for your protection and for your reminding members about the opinion, some of which are things that I didn't actually say, but we are used to that from the Labor Party. As I have said many times, everybody needs to check very carefully what the Labor Party say any time of day or night and in any venue at all.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The leader asked a question. I am listening to the answer and I would hope the opposition would, too.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I am very pleased to provide the honourable member with as much information as I can. The safety and wellbeing task force was established in March 2021 by the South Australian government's chief executive council, following a direction of cabinet. This was in response to concerns around an increase in antisocial and sometimes violent behaviour in the Adelaide CBD associated with visitors from remote Aboriginal communities and this group being recognised as having complex vulnerabilities.

The task force mandate is to develop short, medium and long-term strategies to improve the safety and wellbeing of the community, both visitors and resident, and reduce antisocial behaviour across several areas in the CBD and Port Adelaide. The task force is a multi-agency government response. It is made up of senior officials of state and local government from the following agencies: Department of Human Services; Department of the Premier and Cabinet; Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation; SA Housing Authority; South Australia Police; Department for Health and Wellbeing, including Drug and Alcohol Services; Department for Child Protection; Attorney-General's Department, in particular the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner; City of Adelaide; and City of Port Adelaide.

The task force has been considering data and trends, issues and concerns, and current services and opportunities of member agencies, including commissioned reports. The task force has piloted some innovative service models to assist people with health needs, court matters and opportunities to return home. This included coordinating a temporary accommodation hub with supports during the recent lockdown, which I alluded to yesterday, provided through Renewal SA.

The task force has consulted and engaged with many stakeholders, including Aboriginal communities and the non-government sector, to gather information, develop strategies and devise an agreed approach. This includes the APY Executive Board, the APY Art Centre Collective, the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, Baptist Care and Iwiri Aboriginal Corporation. All stakeholders are deeply concerned about people caught in cycles of severe alcohol consumption and being unable to return to country for various reasons.

The task force has the support of Aboriginal elders, who have been involved with the task force following its establishment. A joint meeting of APY Executive and Kaurna leaders occurred recently to discuss how, through partnership, their leadership can guide the work of the task force and ensure their voices and authority remain at the centre of this work. Elders have agreed that they, and their respective board members, need to be at the table to work in collaboration with government agencies. This is a complex social policy issue, with many factors to consider in order to ensure positive outcomes can be achieved, and it has been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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