Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

That answer is not one that is funny or that we should be proud of. On census night 1,555 veterans were homeless. Again, that's why returns from the Housing Australia Future Fund will provide $30 million to build housing and fund specialist services for veterans who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, homelessness. As I said yesterday, of the 123,000 people, 23 per cent were young people aged 12 to 24.

The data shows that we all need to work together to do better. That's why at the last election we put to the Australian people a plan to tackle the country's housing challenges. Fundamental to our plan is increasing supply of new housing, and we are already delivering. Today homes are underway already across the country from our Housing Infrastructure Facility broadening. In our first budget, we had the National Housing Accord. We've already stood up the Interim National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, and work has begun on a National Housing and Homelessness Plan. We want the National Housing Accord, the National Housing and Homelessness Plan and the Housing Australia Future Fund working together, on independent advice from the Interim National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, helping everybody work together and lifting the states and territories and putting pressure on them too to do more. Our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will be the largest boost to social and affordable housing in more than a decade. Our fund will help deliver more homes. I urge people in this place to support it, because Australians that need it most— (Time expired)

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