Homelessness Week this week has sparked calls for action to help the many thousands of Victorians without a home.
The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Region Gaelle Broad has repeatedly raised the issue in Parliament.
Ms Broad joined community groups and specialist Homelessness Services at Parliament House to highlight the issue, with close to 60,000 families on the waitlist for housing in Victoria.
Six thousand origami houses – one tenth of this number – were displayed on the steps of Parliament.
According to the Victorian Homeless Network, the top three causes of homelessness are family violence, financial difficulties and the housing crisis.
“The Labor Government has failed to deliver on their promise to build 80,000 new homes over the last year, and their policies are making Victoria’s housing crisis even worse.”
“Instead of building more social housing they’re focused on knocking them down.”
“Extensive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act and hefty land taxes are also causing property owners to leave the market, reducing the number of homes available to rent, and making it even harder for people to find a home.”
“Victoria is in a housing crisis and people are sleeping in cars, couch surfing and living in temporary accommodation.”
During Homelessness Week, Ms Broad also met the CEO of Bendigo’s homeless support service MADCOW – Make A Difference Change Our World – Matt Parkinson to discuss the issue.
Ms Broad said: “Local residents who work full time are now sleeping rough in their cars as they struggle to make ends meet, and the demand for services has grown substantially. The MADCOW volunteers do an amazing job.
“Earlier this year I asked the Minister for Housing in Parliament what the government was doing to address the homeless crisis, and why the burden falls back onto community groups to pick up the pieces,” Ms Broad said
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage housing, and Victoria’s most vulnerable are paying the price.”
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764 linda.barrow@parliament.vic.gov.au
