Media Release by The Hon Christian Porter MP

Government delivers on $117.2 million to support of frontline homelessness services

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Christian Porter MP
    Minister for Social Services

  • Senator the Hon Zed Seselja
    Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs

Commonwealth funding to support more than 700 critical frontline homelessness services will begin to flow to state and territory governments today.

The new funding is being delivered under the $117.2 million Transitional National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH).

Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter and Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, Zed Seselja, said payments to Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory commenced today.

Funding for the remaining governments is expected shortly once project plans outlining service delivery arrangements have been finalised.

“It’s fitting the Government is delivering on its $117.2 million NPAH commitment during National Homelessness Week which takes place from the 7 – 13 of August,” Minister Porter said.

“This funding ensures that critical frontline services around the country are able to provide support for vulnerable Australians.”

Minister Porter said the Agreement prioritises services to women and children experiencing domestic violence and young people.

He said more than 105,000 of the 280,000 people who accessed specialist homelessness services in 2015 16 had experienced domestic or family violence.

Assistant Minister Seselja said all governments recognise the need for reform of homelessness funding.

“The transitional agreement will enable the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to develop the new $1.5 billion National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA), announced in the May Budget,” he said.

“The new agreement, which will take effect from 1 July next year, removes the “short-term fixes” to homelessness funding, providing the sector with more certainty.

“Homelessness funding under the NHHA will be ongoing and indexed, with $375 million to be provided from 2018 to 2021.”

Assistant Minister Seselja said negotiations with states and territories on the NHHA will begin shortly.

“This marks the first step in reforming homelessness support,” he said.

“The Commonwealth looks forward to working with state and territory governments on the new agreement and on developing a national policy approach to homelessness.”