Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to speak about the wonderful work of a long-serving South Australian service provider: Catherine House. I also wish to take this opportunity to congratulate them because Catherine House celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It was established in 1988 as a Sisters of Mercy project and since then has been providing much needed support and accommodation to women who are impacted by homelessness.

Providing accommodation is a major part of the work of Catherine House. Across their 15 accommodation sites each night they look after 47 women. Through the emergency supported accommodation, women in need receive care for up to one month. The program features around-the-clock staffing as well as access to services like Centrelink, nurses and legal advice. Each year Catherine House helps over 500 women through this program.

The outreach program provides assistance to women once they have left emergency accommodation, linking them to other support services. A focus is placed on helping women get the targeted support they need to avoid becoming homeless again via, for example, mental health treatments, a reduced dependence on drugs or improved education and skills. There are also independent living units and townhouses that offer support under the Moving On Program, where women can stay for longer periods of time, and there is permanent supported accommodation that provides individual rooms, meals, housekeeping and support services for up to 12 women. Catherine House also runs specialist mental health programs with different levels of support depending on client needs. Catherine House states:

We seek to offer a woman the opportunity to transform her life, through the various supports and programs that we provide, particularly through offering access to education and employment opportunities.

The education and employment program gives disadvantaged women a chance to develop new skills so they can work towards a better future. Catherine House runs an education employment centre which plays a key role in this.

The staff and volunteers at Catherine House are very passionate about providing women with the necessary steps to make it on their own because self-sufficiency is a powerful tool against homelessness. Between July and November last year, 17 women found a job due to their own hard work, assisted by the amazing efforts of people involved with Catherine House, which is an excellent result in these tough economic times. There are also a number of women who, through Catherine House, have moved on to university, accredited study or work experience.

In summary, Catherine House do not just deal with the immediate impacts of homelessness, they have a long-term objective as well, and it is being achieved very successfully. They also undertake research projects and contribute to the wider discussion about how to combat homelessness in Australia. Those at Catherine House understand the importance of informed debate. It fosters innovation, it improves communication between service providers and it lays the groundwork for a more in-depth understanding of homelessness.

One example of their great work is featured in their Christmas newsletter. It tells the story of one woman who came to Catherine House after a life of alcohol abuse, domestic violence and mental illness. Over several months, she learnt how to cope with stress and have confidence in herself. She took part in education courses and developed a range of job-readiness skills. She is now living in her own accommodation, has completed various certificates and is well on her way to her goal of becoming a community services worker. It just goes to show how support, care and determination really can change lives.

None of this would be possible without the people behind Catherine House. There is a staff of more than 50 and there are many, many more volunteers that offer their time to help others. Every person is integral to the successful operations of Catherine House. It serves as a great inspiration to all of us. In this fast paced world it is easy to look inward and to worry only about ourselves. Yet the workers, the volunteers and the donors who are behind organisations like Catherine House demonstrate that we all still have the ability to offer our time, or our money, or our products, or our goods or services and to make an effort to help.

As I said at the start of this brief contribution, this year Catherine House will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. They will be hosting a number of special events to celebrate their 25 years of service to South Australian women. Staff and volunteers and donors alike will have the opportunity to look back at what they have achieved, and celebrate the positive difference they have made in the lives of so many. I am very proud to personally be a supporter of Catherine House, as are many other South Australians right across my home state and I encourage others to do so. I wish Catherine House all the best for their anniversary year. I hope it will encourage them to continue their amazing work, for which we should all be grateful well into the future.