Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What we heard there was the minister saying quietly, 'Too right, it's the responsibility of the state and territory governments.' The reality is that this is an attitude that we see on every single issue from this federal government. I see my esteemed colleague Senator Patrick Dodson here. He made amazing remarks today—wise words—on the departure of Jacqui Lambie. On so many occasions he speaks about issues around Indigenous needs in communities that are being ignored. This is another one of those social needs that is profound and important for our community: the need to have a proper response from this government.

We know that, sadly, too many of the first peoples of this country are experiencing disability and are experiencing housing challenges in the state of need that they are in, with particular disabilities. The most marginalised people in our community are suffering, and the government continues to put out platitudinous responses to serious work done by people right across this country. This report didn't happen because a few people here in this building sat down and decided they'd write up a few ideas. This committee has consulted across the country. This committee got the best and brightest minds of this country to put together a set of recommendations. The least the government could do is take the report seriously and come up with something genuine that is going to address the needs of the 127,000 people I mentioned in my opening remarks.

To recommendation 5, we again get agreement from the government. In the 27 seconds that I have before my time's up, the last recommendation, recommendation 6, states:

The committee recommends the Commonwealth government explore capital sharing, securitisation, and joint ownership options to expand the provision of appropriate accommodation for people with disability.

I know from my recent trip to Canada that there is very exciting and practical work being done in this field in other countries. Sadly, this government's response is not going to go anywhere near that. It lacks vision and it's chaotic and dysfunctional, just like the government that responded to the report. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.