The Australian Senate has today called on the Federal Government to take a national approach to homelessness and to develop a National Homelessness Plan. Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, moved the motion which was cosponsored by Labor and supported by the Centre Alliance, One Nation and Senators Hinch and Storer. The Liberals, Nationals and Katter's Australian Party voted against. The motion is copied below.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (15:48): I, and also on behalf of Senator Cameron, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the latest census shows that, since 2011, homelessness has risen by 14 per cent,

(ii) the number of people sleeping rough, which is the most visible and extreme form of homelessness, has risen by an alarming 20 per cent since 2011,

Originally published in Green Magazine, 25^th May 2018 https://greens.org.au/magazine/housing-needs-medicare-treatment

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Jenny Leong MP said:

On Tuesday, 5 December 2017, Lee gave the following speech in the Australian Senate on the connection between capitalism and deregulation, privatisation and the undermining of unions.