The Andrews Labor Government is providing an additional $850,000 to immediately assist the growing number of rough sleepers seeking shelter on Melbourne’s streets.
Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley said agencies were dealing with unprecedented demand on homelessness services and it was important to ensure additional assistance in the central business district and across Victoria was made available.
The package of support will:
- Provide an additional $500,000 to the Housing Establishment Fund to ensure more support to purchase emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough across Victoria during extreme cold weather.
- Invest $282,700 to provide an additional 38 crisis accommodation beds at Bailly House for three months in North Melbourne.
- Provide the Salvation Army with $70,000 to provide additional case workers to enable them to reach and work with more rough sleepers in the central business district.
The Labor Government is also working quickly to roll out the $152 million housing package announced earlier this year in response to the Royal Commission into Family Violence. The Labor Government has also recently provided $750,000 to expand the Rough Sleeper Initiative.
The Labor Government is calling on all agencies and stakeholders who provide homelessness services to come together as a matter of urgency to establish what else needs to occur so support those sleeping rough.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley
“This is a confronting and complex issue. We are currently experiencing unprecedented demand on homelessness services and that’s why we are providing this additional funding.”
“To really make a difference, we need a national partnership and I call upon Malcolm Turnbull to work with Victoria to provide more support for vulnerable Victorians.”
“I’ve asked the key agencies to come together next Tuesday to see what else we need to do to ensure we are all working together to support vulnerable Victorians.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020