Page 2085 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 21 June 2011
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I look forward, over the coming weeks, to seeing this roll-on effect of the program coming in as we relocate waiting families, deserving families, into their new family homes.
MS BRESNAN: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, are you aware that families are sleeping in cars and being advised of so-called safe locations to park their cars in overnight?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Bresnan for her question and the interest that other Greens are showing on public housing. I just want to acknowledge what Mr Seselja and Ms Bresnan shared with 150 other Canberrans at the CEO sleep-out the other night, which was to give us an insight into the plight of homeless individuals. Can I say that, whilst it was an uncomfortable night, it certainly in many ways did not show the depth of what these individuals are facing, whether they are sleeping rough or they are camping out with the assistance of financial and material aid provided by one of our community partners—or, I know, there are some families over the year that will resort to sleeping in their cars, which is why this government continues to invest in supporting and addressing the issues of homelessness.
We have implemented First Point, and I think anyone in the sector—I was speaking to many at the CEOs sleep-out just last Thursday evening on the value of First Point in providing us with real-time, accurate data. For the first time, we will be able to provide adequate response across our program deliveries. The census data and the ROGS data that we have used for our program information have certainly been seen to be wanting with the information that is coming from First Point—
Ms Bresnan: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan. Stop the clocks.
Ms Bresnan: My question was about whether the minister was aware that people sleep in cars and, if they have been, whether she was also aware that they were being advised of so-called safe locations to park in overnight.
MR SPEAKER: The question is quite specific, Minister Burch.
MS BURCH: I think I did go some way. I accepted that people sleep rough and I accept that some people are resorting to sleeping in tents and in their cars. I have also replied that First Point is the point of contact for these people to access. I do not sit in First Point’s office and listen to what their commentary is and report back. But their advice to each and every call that they provide, and I think it is over 1,000 clients at the moment that they are providing support to—it is about providing advice on financial and material aid; it is about emergency housing; it is about providing long-term and short-term accommodation. That is what First Point was created to do.
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