Media Release by The Hon Mark Butler MP and The Hon Melissa Parke MP

Mackay Agency Wins National Homelessness Award

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Mark Butler MP
    Minister for Mental Health and Ageing
    Minister for Housing and Homelessness
    Minister for Social Inclusion
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform

  • The Hon Melissa Parke MP
    Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing
    Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health

Community Accommodation & Support Agency (CASA), of Mackay, was today awarded a National Homelessness Services Achievement Award in recognition of its tireless work to prevent and tackle homelessness.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Mark Butler and Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing, Melissa Parke today presented CASA with the Award for Excellence in addressing homelessness in a regional, rural or remote location.

“CASA stood out for its efforts supporting families in crisis and I congratulate them for keeping dozens of families together and out of homelessness.

“People who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are under enormous stress, which can be exacerbated when children are involved and having a stable home can make all the difference to turning a life around.

“By providing 17 short-term crisis houses and case managers, CASA takes some of the pressure off families.

Mr Butler said the team also works with families at risk of losing their home by linking people to essential health service support and household management programs.

“Last year alone, the agency assisted 80 families to become self-reliant again-families who otherwise wouldn’t now have a stable home.

“Thanks to the dedication of CASA, families in Mackay have someone to turn to when they need it most.”

Ms Parke said that while the last Census showed a 13 per cent drop in the rate of people sleeping rough, far too many Australians still do not have a place to call home every night.

“This Government has made tackling homelessness a national priority and is committed to halving the overall rate of homelessness by 2020,” Ms Parke said.

“But we are not doing it alone-every day, thousands of services are on the ground helping people get back on their feet.”

“This year’s Awards shine a light on the tremendous work these compassionate and dedicated service providers do for some of our community’s most vulnerable people.

“Thank you to everyone who made a nomination in the 2013 National Homelessness Services Achievement Awards and congratulations to CASA for receiving this well-deserved award.”

For more information go to www.fahcsia.gov.au/homelessnessawards