David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Farrell. Minister, the government has said that housing will be one of the centrepieces of the budget, with regard to the government's claim to be doubling homelessness funding as part of the new $9.3 billion five-year national agreement on social housing and homelessness. How much of that money is new money, and how much is simply being transferred from social housing funding to homelessness?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his question. Of course, what we'll see in the budget tonight is what we're all waiting to see. I think your question is asking me to anticipate the Treasurer's comments.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, on a point of order?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I don't know if this goes to relevance, but this is a pre-budget announcement—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just a moment, Senator Pocock. Please resume your seat. I have a senator on his feet for a point of order. I expect there to be silence so I can hear the point. Senator Pocock?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I'm not sure if this goes to relevance, but it's this bizarre situation where the government make all these pre-budget announcements and, when asked about them, they say, 'We can't foreshadow what's in the budget,' even though they've told us what's in the budget.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Pocock. You could've have simply asked me about relevance and not made a statement. The minister is being relevant. Please continue, Senator Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I don't want to foreshadow what the Treasurer is going to say in what will be another wonderful Albanese government budget. But I can say this: the Albanese government does believe that everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home. After a decade—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator McKenzie, after a decade of no action under the former coalition government, the latest data from the ABS shows that the number of people experiencing homelessness has climbed by 6,000 people between 2016 and 2021. And, of course, it is unacceptable that almost 123,000 Australians were reported as experiencing homelessness in the most recent data.

Your question related particularly to the ACT. Of course the ACT will share in the new $9.3 billion national agreement on social housing and homelessness, incorporating a $423 million increase on the previous agreement. And— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much of the billion dollars for transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence and for youth, which we know is not new money, will be spent on building new social and affordable homes? How many new homes will be built both nationally and here in the ACT? I understand you may have to take this second bit on notice, but please don't apply the PMO's playbook to that one, if that's alright.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his first supplementary question. It's a little bit unclear to me from your question as to whether you're talking specifically about the ACT or the issue generally, but let me talk about the issue generally and then try and bring it back to the ACT. We are targeting $1 billion of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to support crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic—

Do want to hear the answer to the question, Senator McKenzie? Senator Pocock—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Farrell, direct your comments to me.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Senator McKenzie, you are being particularly disorderly this question time, so I would ask you to listen in respectful silence. Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government is targeting $1 billion of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility funding to support crisis and transitional accommodation for women— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that domestic and family violence is one of the main drivers of homelessness in Australia, why has the government so far failed to renew funding for peak homelessness advocacy bodies National Shelter and Homelessness Australia as well as frontline service providers and failed to increase the rate of safety net payments?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his second supplementary question. I think, when the budget is released in its totality today, you will see, Senator Pocock, that this government is seriously dealing with the issue of the housing shortage and homelessness in this country in a way that previous governments have not been able to do. We've got a commitment to resolving the homelessness issue and the housing issue.

This budget will obviously be a very responsible budget, but it will be a budget which produces a surplus and which will directly address the sorts of issues that you are concerned about in this— (Time expired)