Tasmania gets involved in Homeless Persons’ Week 2012
The acting Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Member for Franklin, Julie Collins, today encouraged Tasmanians to get involved in National Homeless Persons’ Week.
The annual event organised by Homelessness Australia aims to increase public awareness of homelessness and its causes.
“It’s been my pleasure to have helped launch the event in Melbourne this morning and to learn about the many people and organisations getting involved around the country,” Ms Collins said.
“In Tasmania, homelessness service Colony 47 will host Give Jeans a Chance Day at their Allport building in North Hobart from 12.30pm on Friday, 10 August.
“They plan to give away up to 500 pairs of second-hand and factory-second jeans at a free barbecue.
“The Australian Government is pleased to support Colony 47 through programs such as Reconnect and Keys to the Future.
“Reconnect supports young people aged 12 to 18 years to stabilise their living situation, reconcile with their family, return to school, work or training and re-engage with their local community.
“Through Keys to the Future, Colony 47 provides property and tenancy management for 100 homes leased to Tasmanians with high and complex needs.
“I congratulate Colony 47 for their involvement in Homeless Persons’ Week and for their ongoing commitment to supporting Tasmania’s most vulnerable people.
“The Australian Government knows more needs to be done – the latest Census figures found that about 2,500 people were homeless across Tasmania on any given night.
“We’re working with all levels of government, business, charities and the community to reduce homelessness through the $1.1 billion National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.
“In Tasmania, more than $32 million in funding under the Agreement is supporting six new or expanded homelessness initiatives.
“Under our $5.6 billion Social Housing Initiative, we’ve invested $125.5 million in Tasmania to build 530 new homes and repair a further 530 existing homes.
“More than half the tenants are Tasmanians who were homeless or faced homelessness – but who now have a place to call home,” Ms Collins said.