Motion calls on Senate to commit to halving homelessness by 2020, Coalition refuses to support it

Senator LUDLAM: I move

That the Senate-

(a) notes that:

(i) on any given night more than 105 000 Australians are experiencing homelessness, including 7 000 people sleeping rough or without adequate shelter,

(ii) while the rate of rough sleeping fell by 13.5 per cent between 2006 and 2011, in 2012 more than 136 8000 instances for a request for assistance went unmet, and

(iii) the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Abbott) refuses to commit to the goal of the Homelessness White Paper to halve homelessness by 2020 and provide services to all those seeking them; and

(b) calls on:

(i) the Liberal Party to commit to the goal to halve homelessness and provide services to all seeking them by 2020, and

(ii) all parties to commit to support a new agreement with state and territory governments to 2020 and beyond, with increased transparency, accountability and targets, in order to provide the housing, support and services necessary to help Australians most in need.
Question agreed to.