Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Rice and Cameron, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Australian Human Rights Commission estimates that one in four of the 20,000 homeless young people in NSW is gay or lesbian,

  (ii) there is a general lack of Australian research on LGBTIQ homelessness,

  (iii) international research, for example, 'LGBT Selective Victimization: Unprotected Youth on the Streets' (Ventimiglia, 2012), shows that LGBTIQ people, especially trans people and young people, are disproportionately affected by homelessness, and

  (iv) university campuses have been working with students and the Australian Queer Student Network to provide crisis accommodation on campus after LGBTIQ students have been discovered sleeping in classrooms and university spaces set aside for LGBTIQ students; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) work with community stakeholders to develop plans for ending LGBTIQ homelessness, including targeted strategies to support students and young people in LGBTIQ communities who are experiencing homelessness,

  (ii) collaborate with stakeholders to secure national data on LGBTIQ homelessness, and

  (iii) ensure specific LGBTIQ homelessness programs and an urgent assessment of funding and resourcing needs are addressed in National Housing and Homelessness Agreement negotiations with states.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition government allocated funding for homelessness when it came to government, and in this budget announced that funding would increase and be made permanent, something the previous Labor government never did. Labor did not leave a single dollar in the budget for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, instead creating an Affordable Housing Agreement without any way of measuring whether it delivered a single affordable house. The coalition government's new $1.5 billion housing agreement will for the first time provide funding to the states that is linked to measurable outcomes. In addition to this housing funding, the government will also provide $4.5 billion to 1.3 million people this year to assist with rental affordability. These are real measures that will help all sectors of the Australian community at risk of homelessness, including LGBTIQ people and students.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Rhiannon be agreed to.