Housing and homelessness

The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on the National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill 2024 (No.2).

In this submission, we welcome and support the comprehensive framework of the Bill to ensure all Australians have access to adequate housing and to address homelessness through a coordinated, long-term approach.

As a major provider of housing and homelessness services across Australia, The Salvation Army manages 1,800 properties, supporting over 3,000 individuals and families. Through our work, we witness firsthand the human impact of the housing crisis and strive to amplify the voices of those with lived experiences, advancing the policy discussion towards effective solutions.

The submission underscores several key points:

• National Housing and Homelessness Plan

The Salvation Army supports the Bill's requirement for the Minister to prepare and publish a National Housing and Homelessness Plan. This plan must promote the objects of ensuring adequate housing for all Australians, preventing and ending homelessness, and improving the housing system's quality and affordability.

• National Housing Consumer Council

We recommend expanding the Council's membership to include gender and age-diverse individuals and those with lived experiences of family and domestic violence. This diversity is crucial for addressing the unique challenges faced by these groups and ensuring that the Council's recommendations are comprehensive and inclusive.

• National Housing and Homelessness Advocate

We suggest broadening the Advocate's role to include communicating housing rights norms and streamlining information sharing across jurisdictions. This will enhance the effectiveness of the national response to housing and homelessness issues.

The Senate Economics Legislation Committee is to present a report by 10th October 2024.