Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, as I understand it, on Friday the Minister for Housing and Homelessness reached agreement with state ministerial colleagues, subject to their own cabinet processes, to commence negotiations for a new partnership agreement on homelessness. Those decisions on a future national homelessness partnership will be based on evidence and performance information to ensure that strategies beyond June 2013 are effectively targeted. These negotiations are expected to take time, so the Commonwealth has put money on the table for our half of the cost to continue services for another 12 months. We are calling on the states to make clear as soon as possible whether they will match this funding to ensure that the sector and the homeless clients they serve have certainty for the next year. It remains a priority of this government and we have put an offer to the states and put our money on the table.