Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Hear, hear! We are a rich country. We can afford this. Tasmania, compared to the rest of the world, is a rich state, as are all of the other jurisdictions that are represented by honourable members. Compared to the rest of the world, we're among the richest people in the world. We can afford the solutions. We can all afford more crisis accommodation, more public housing, more supported accommodation, sensible tax reform, and the introduction of rent-to-buy public housing. We can afford, if nothing else, to increase CRA by at least 30 per cent.

Through you, Deputy Speaker, I say to the minister that these are the sorts of initiatives that are within the domain of the federal government, or there are opportunities for the federal government to work with the minister's counterparts in the states and territories to try and solve these crises. I refer honourable members to my question today, which is another relevant point—the fact that the government is ceasing the Equal Remuneration Order supplement for homelessness services at a time when, as we're discussing right here in this place right now, there is a homelessness crisis in this country.

One of the fundamental duties of a federal government is to ensure that people have a roof over their head. With that roof comes security and safety, better job opportunities, better health and a better upbringing for our children. So much of it flows from having a roof over our heads. Yet, in this country, one of the richest in the world, there are way too many people who are sleeping rough, who are homeless, who are in tents in the park, or who are in their mate's laundry or on their couch. We could do so much better.

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