Responding to today’s release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Annual Report on homelessness services NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing, Jenny Leong MP and Australian Greens spokesperson on Housing, Senator Lee Rhiannon have called for an urgent commitment to a housing first approach by state and federal governments.

The August session of parliament was a busy one.  We thought to share some of the things that happened: 

-> Spoke against the new Bill which will give police powers to remove homeless people from Martin Place. The Government should be addressing the housing crisis not introducing laws to move on the  homeless.

Today in National Homelessness Week the Liberal National government rushed through legislation that will allow police to remove homeless people from Martin Place, seize and destroy their belongings and break up non-“authorised” protests within the CBD.

This is a heartless response from a heartless government that would rather see homeless people disappear than take action. The Greens condemn the Liberal National government’s actions. 

The Liberal National government has used National Homeless Week to announce legal changes to empower the police to evict the homeless, and some of the most disadvantaged in our communities, from public land in the City of Sydney.

The Greens believe that having access to a safe and permanent home is a fundamental human right. The parliament has a responsibility not to enact laws to facilitate harassment of homeless people, but to help them by providing permanent housing and to ensure those at risk of homelessness get the support they need.

During NSW Parliament Question Time today Greens NSW Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP raised the un-ignorable reality of homelessness on the doorstep of Parliament House. This happened on the day that it was reported that "the Premier has said homeless people sleeping rough in Sydney city centre made her “completely uncomfortable".

"It's unbelievable that the Premier of NSW is reportedly complaining about how uncomfortable the reality of homelessness makes her - when it is the thousands of people sleeping rough that are really doing it tough.

We need to be measuring the success of a budget on how it is delivering for people. 

A $4.5 billion surplus is not so great when 28,000 people are sleeping rough every night and 60,000 people are on the public housing waiting list in this state. Or when 7 train stations in the Newtown electorate don't have lifts cutting out so many from using public transport. 

This shiny, neo-Liberal budget forgot about so many people.

Read in Parliament on 13 October 2016:

"By leave: I draw the attention of this Parliament to the amazing work of YFoundations in supporting young people who are at risk of and experiencing homelessness. YFoundations works collaboratively with non-government organisations, government and community members to provide policy and structural advocacy services for young people.

Earlier this year I was pleased to attend the Youth Homelessness Matters Day and congratulate YFoundations chief executive officer Michael Coffey, senior policy officer Chris Stone and the YFoundations youth ambassadors, Alice Zhang and Sarah Maynard. I commend them for their ongoing commitment to the organisation. I acknowledge the contribution of Australia's first National Children's Commissioner, Megan Mitchell, who launched the event. I thank her for her tireless advocacy for the rights and interests of children, and the laws policies and programs that impact on them."

Link:

• Yfoundation

In response to new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), which shows increased demand for Specialist Housing Services in NSW, NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing Jenny Leong MP, says urgent action is needed to address homelessness and housing affordability.

“The increase in demand for Specialists Homelessness Services is stark evidence of the housing affordability crisis we’re facing in NSW,” she said.

The Greens NSW have responded to the NSW Government's Foundations for Change – Homelessness in NSW discussion paper.

The submission from The Greens recognises that action is required at all levels of government to guarantee access to adequate, affordable and appropriate housing to all members for our community and to ensure that appropriate support services are available to address the systemic and personal issues that often result in homelessness.