Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Maribyrnong for enabling me to have this opportunity to speak about how the Morrison government is delivering for vulnerable Australians. As the federal member for Petrie and the Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services, I'm exceptionally proud of the strong safety net that the Morrison government has delivered and its historic decisions and continuing support for the nation's most vulnerable Australians. As the federal member for Petrie, I value all Australians and everyone in my electorate. No matter where they sit and no matter what their occupation or their upbringing is, they all have an important part to play.

We understand that Australians at this time need work. They want to get back to where they were before the crisis. We also understand the importance of a strong and enhanced safety net to help those doing it tough during this time. In my own electorate of Petrie, 11,039 individuals have received the coronavirus supplement, expanding eligibility to give access to more people in vulnerable circumstances. This has really helped people like Ethan, a young man in my electorate who fell on tough times and was homeless and sleeping in his car. With supports in place and having been introduced to a local businessman, Michael Kennedy from Kennedy's Timbers, Ethan is now able to work full time, and not only is he working full time but he's got himself a unit and now he's training others on the job. What a remarkable effort! There are hundreds more people—perhaps even more—like Ethan who just in the last few months have been able to make this change as well.

We are making available targeted and enhanced support, with extension of the coronavirus supplement until 31 March 2021. JobSeeker, Commonwealth rent assistance and emergency relief payments have been rolled out through the states right around the country—a strong safety net to help those who are most vulnerable as we emerge through and from this crisis. Thanks to JobKeeper, there are 4,500 workplaces in Petrie who have remained connected to their employees. That's workplaces, not individuals—people like MBRIT, the tourism arm of the Moreton Bay Regional Council, who said to me that without JobKeeper they would have folded and their staff would have been laid off.

We continue to work in partnership with state governments, who have primary responsibility to deliver social housing and homelessness supports as well. In 2021 alone, the Morrison government will invest more than $7½ billion to support Australians in need of housing assistance. This is an increase of over $1 billion on last year. Having a roof over your head is important for all Australians, but having a home is most important. It's more than just four walls; it's about privacy, security and safe and secure access to housing. I've heard firsthand in my role as assistant minister about the supports made available to Australians during this time. Over 8,000 people were provided with accommodation that was safe, where they could self-isolate and recover after presenting symptoms over the last few months. Four billion dollars has been spent on new or expedited policy interventions at key points of the housing systems of the states and territories, and this government has assisted more than 1.7 million Australians in the private rental market through Commonwealth rent assistance, which is $5½ billion a year. During the early stages of COVID, the Morrison government was instrumental in delivering the rental moratorium to protect Australia's most vulnerable renters.

We know that family and domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children, and vulnerable women and children are often displaced and family life is disrupted greatly as a result of violence, abuse and coercion. Thousands more women and children will have access to safe and secure accommodation, thanks to the $60 million in programs through Safe Places that I recently announced in South Australia with Minister Ruston. Places like Coast2Bay in Fairfax. I was with the member up there recently, and I was just talking to the member for Macquarie about Wentworth Community Housing in her own electorate.

Housing investment, as a whole, through the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, as well as the First Home Super Saver Scheme, has helped to add stock, which will help people in need. Our investments in NHFIC, health, aged care, the NDIS, mental health and carers have played a big role in helping those most vulnerable.

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