Media Release by The Hon Tanya Pibersek MP

$4 Million for Homelessness Research

Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek, today announced $4 million for research into homelessness at the launch of the latest edition of Parity magazine in Melbourne.

The funding will be divided among three successful applicants: the University of Queensland’s Institute of Social Science Research; Swinburne University of Technology’s Institute for Social Research; and Flinders University’s Flinders Partners.

“A solid evidence base is fundamental for developing successful new approaches to preventing homelessness and responding to the complex needs of homeless people,” Ms Plibersek said.

“That’s why the Rudd Government is investing $11.4 million over four years into the National Homelessness Research Agenda to provide large-scale, high-quality research that will help to inform the development of effective homelessness services.”

Ms Plibersek said the latest edition of Parity titled: “What’s Next?: The White Paper 12 Months On“, underscores the need to continually revisit the many complex issues surrounding and causing homelessness and the initiatives that are underway to prevent it.

“Parity will continue to play a vital role in putting the issues under the spotlight as new and innovative programs under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness continue to make an impact across Australia,” Ms Plibersek said.

The Rudd Government is spending $4.9 billion over four years to address homelessness, with an additional $400 million from the States and Territories, as part of an ambitious target to halve homelessness and offer accommodation to all rough sleepers who seek it by 2020.

This includes the $1.2 billion committed at the time of the release of the Homelessness White Paper in December 2008.

The Rudd Government is:

  • Increasing spending on homelessness services by 55 per cent as a substantial down payment on a twelve year reform agenda;
  • Increasing the supply of affordable housing homes by 80,000 over four years – 50,000 through the National Rental Affordability Scheme and 30,000 through the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan;
  • Providing an additional $80.4 million in emergency relief and financial counselling services until mid 2011 to support Australians through difficult times; and
  • Funding 41 specialist homelessness projects across our housing programs, to provide more than 1680 new units of accommodation.