David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I'd like to acknowledge all the hard work that has gone into achieving domestic violence leave here now in this parliament. But I also rise to speak about one of the most significant challenges that we have, which is dealing with homelessness.

On Tuesday morning I had the opportunity to meet with Frances Crimmins and Kate Colvin from Homelessness Australia. Frances also does great work leading the YWCA here in Canberra. They told me about their plan to end homelessness, which is a strategy to end rental stress and homelessness for women, children, young people and First Australians and halve the number of people returning to homelessness services. These are worthy and ambitious targets, and I thank Frances and Kate for sharing them with me. Too many Canberrans are impacted by housing insecurity and more needs to be done to assist them.

Addressing homelessness and housing insecurity sits at the heart of the ambitions of our new government. Over five years we will build 20,000 social housing properties, with 4,000 of these set aside for women and kids fleeing violence and older women at risk of homelessness. We will also build 10,000 homes for frontline workers to enable them to live much closer to where they work. When these workers cannot live in the communities where they work there is a huge problem. I remain committed to working with people like Kate and Frances in this term of government.