Tuesday 15 August 2017 

Hiding homelessness does not solve it and moving and fining vulnerable homeless people in public places does not take them off the street. The solution is providing permanent, low-cost housing with support. But the government pushed through laws that give the police power to move homeless people on, confiscate their belongings and fine them $225, even if they are not causing a safety risk to others. It is not illegal to be homeless and I opposed the bill, which is a mean spirited response to the uncomfortable sight of vulnerable people sleeping rough. Read more HERE.

The state government is responsible for housing and homelessness and while it sells off inner city public housing close to jobs, services and supports, and refuses to mandate strong affordable housing in major redevelopments, it blames the City of Sydney for the Martin Place ‘tent city’. Councils do not have the power to move people on. My speech is HERE.

I’ve again asked the minister to fund a second Common Ground supported accommodation project given the success of the Camperdown project, HERE.