The Hon. Dr SARAH KAINE (16:34): I move:

(1)That this House acknowledges that:

(a)10 October 2024 is World Homeless Day;

(b)World Homeless Day serves to raise awareness about the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness and the need for more support to ensure homelessness is brief, rare and non-recurring; and

(c)the 2024 street count recorded 2,037 people sleeping rough across New South Wales.

(2)That this House recognises that the New South Wales Government has invested a historic $6.6 billion in the 2024-25 budget to build public homes and tackle homelessness.

(3)That this House congratulates Nedd Brockmann, who is currently running 1,600 kilometres on foot, raising money and awareness for homelessness, and that as of 15 October 2024, Nedd has raised $1.7 million for We Are Mobilise, a charity supporting solutions for those experiencing homelessness across Australia.

The 2024 annual street count was conducted between 1 February and 1 March 2024 across 76 local government areas. Street count organisers sought information from housing and homelessness services and worked with local stakeholders, including local councils and people with lived experience of homelessness, to identify known street homeless hotspots and prioritise those locations during their counts.

The PRESIDENT: Order! There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber.

The Hon. Dr SARAH KAINE: Some 2,037 people were counted in the 2024 count. In addition, there were 241 locations where there was evidence of street homelessness, such as makeshift camps, sleeping bags or personal belongings, but no people present to be counted. Last Thursday 10 October was World Homeless Day. It is an important day to raise awareness about people experiencing homelessness, their needs and the support needed to ensure that homelessness is brief, rare and non-recurring. This Government is committed to making New South Wales a place where everyone has access to safe and secure housing and where homelessness is rare and brief.

The Government recognises that homelessness is a complex issue with no easy solution, but it is determined to tackle it from every angle. That is why the Government invested a historic $6.6 billion in the 2024‑25 budget to build public homes and tackle homelessness. That $6.6 billion is to rebuild the public housing system by building 8,400 public homes, fixing 33,500 public homes in need of desperate repair, delivering over 21,000 affordable and market homes across the State, investing in homelessness services, funding crisis accommodation, building affordable rentals for key workers, undertaking the biggest planning reforms in a generation and much more.

It is important to recognise that important advocacy and fundraising work is undertaken by other groups and individuals. I recognise the work of Nedd Brockmann to raise awareness and funds for homelessness, in particular for We Are Mobilise. Last night people watched in person at Sydney Olympic Park and online as Nedd Brockmann completed his 1,600-kilometre challenge. It took him 12 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes and 45 seconds, at an average of 128 kilometres per day. I cannot begin to fathom running 1,600 kilometres. I can run a few kilometres, but 1,600 is beyond me. I cannot begin to understand the impact that doing that over 12 days, round and round a track, has on the body. I thought it best to share Nedd's own words about the physical toll that distance has taken on him. His words are quite topical. He said:

My toes were like King Charles' fingers after day one. I've had no function of my right ant tib since the end of day three ... No sleep because the tendinitis everywhere punches me in the throat come rest time. The feet have swollen three sizes due to the rain/track.

His significant injuries meant that he did not beat the 10-day record that he was aiming for, but his commitment to complete the 1,600 kilometres in spite of it all is admirable. The result is also impressive. He has raised $2.6 million and counting for We Are Mobilise, a community group that provides recognition and functional care for people facing homelessness across Australia. I also take a moment to reflect on what we as a parliamentary community can do about the immediate issue of homelessness in our community.

I was pleased to hear from the President during budget estimates that, from June, the Parliament had commenced donating leftover food from the Parliament to St Stephen's Uniting Church across the road. Through that program, the Parliament is providing about 60 meals per week. I call on other members here, as I did in budget estimates, to consider how we, with all of our collective capacity, might assist our local community and those people we see when we walk up from St James and when we pass the Reserve Bank building in Martin Place. Surely there is something more we can do, as a community, to tackle the issues that are right outside our door and to provide better support for those in need.

The PRESIDENT: Before I call the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones, I advise members that the door to the members' lounge has fallen over and smashed, so I encourage all members to enter and leave through the other door.

The Hon. NATASHA MACLAREN-JONES (16:40): I am glad to hear that no-one was injured. The Opposition supports the motion. I begin by congratulating Nedd Brockmann, who finished his 1,600-kilometre run this morning, raising over $2.6 million. I understand he also did it to support people experiencing homelessness. It is important to acknowledge World Homeless Day and raise awareness about the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness, but to move a motion that effectively high-fives the Government to say it is doing a great job is a bit rich because, due to Labor's inaction, housing affordability is in crisis and homelessness is on the rise.

Across Australia it is estimated that over 120,000 people are without stable housing, a crisis that impacts their physical and mental health, education, and employment opportunities. Under Labor, families are struggling to make ends meet, with increases in household essentials. Food, electricity, rent, insurance and petrol prices are all going up. Specialist homelessness services are overwhelmed, and countless families are struggling to maintain their housing with increases in mortgages and rent, which are crippling them. These are things that they cannot cut back on. If they do, they end up homeless. Over the past 18 months I have been travelling across New South Wales, hearing directly from Australians about how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting them and hearing from NGOs trying to support people and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness. There are growing demands for their services, particularly food relief services, which is a stark indicator of the growing strain that households are experiencing.

Recent research released by the NSW Council of Social Service in its report on the cost of living in New South Wales entitled Impossible Choices: Decisions New South Wales communities shouldn't have to make showed that 65 per cent of participants could not pay essential services on time, with over two-thirds of them being subject to housing stress. Because of Labor's inaction, housing affordability is in crisis, with 68 per cent of households experiencing housing stress and 27 per cent in extreme housing stress. The 2024 statewide street count that this motion refers to recorded 2,037 people sleeping rough in New South Wales, which is a staggering 26 per cent increase from the previous year under this Government. Region by region, the numbers are rising: Newcastle has had an 87 per cent increase; Western Sydney, a 50 per cent increase, Liverpool local government area, an 85 per cent increase; MidCoast local government area, a 69 per cent increase; and northern beaches, a 48 per cent increase.

The Government's support system and our specialist homelessness services are stretched. Across the State we are seeing calls to Link2home escalating. Between June 2023 and June 2024 we have seen an extra 30,000 calls. Wait times have escalated to 39 minutes, with reports of youth workers waiting on hold for over 1½ hours, trying desperately to support young people who need housing. This is a crisis that the Government is failing to address. Our homeless sector is under immense pressure, and the Government needs to step up and ensure a brighter future for the people of New South Wales.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD (16:43): In budget estimates this year I asked Minister Jackson about the New South Wales Government's budget announcement on social housing. It was confirmed in that questioning that the $5.1 billion announced equated to 6,200 new and 2,200 replacement homes over four years. With $1 billion being delivered in 2024-25, that means approximately 1,025 genuinely new social homes are to be delivered this year. As a result of the money that The Greens secured as part of the Federal negotiations, an additional $600 million is available under the Social Housing Accelerator Fund. It was confirmed in budget estimates that this additional $600 million will deliver 1,500 homes over three years. As a result, the total number of new homes to be delivered under Labor's commitment in the recent budget is just over 1,500 homes each year, and I note that the Minister indicated that more money may be secured from the Commonwealth under the Housing Australia Future Fund, but that has not been committed as yet. Finally, the Minister informed us at budget estimates that there are now 56,000 families waiting for homes.

Breaking this down, we are looking at 1,525 new homes per year in the face of a growing waitlist that is already at 56,000 families. In other words, that is a commitment to build 2.7 per cent of what is actually required just to clear the waiting list. At this rate, it will take around 37 years to provide houses for all those currently on the waiting list, and that waiting list continues to get longer. I set this all out not to diminish the fact that the New South Wales Labor Government is doing at least something about the housing crisis, as compared with the previous Coalition Government, but to point out that that something is a disproportionately minor response to the size of the housing crisis before us and to reiterate that this is not a crisis that we can simply build our way out of.

The housing crisis has been brought about by entrenched systemic flaws in our housing system that require far bolder action to fix. It will require leadership and Ministers who will stand up and demand a united, coordinated response to the housing crisis that is sadly lacking at Federal and State Government levels. If, for example, the Federal Labor Government will not do what is needed by reforming the negative gearing and capital gains tax incentives that make it easier for a person to buy their tenth home than to buy their first, then the New South Wales Labor Government should use its own powers to fill in the gaps.

The Greens have long advocated for vendor duty on those homes benefiting from the Federal capital gains tax exemption, for instance. The New South Wales Labor Government could also introduce an empty homes levy. The State Government estimates 15,000 homes in New South Wales are vacant year-round, 45,000 are used as holiday homes and more than 33,000 are registered as non-hosted short-term properties. The Government could increase land tax on luxury homes and non-owner-occupied homes as well. All of those measures would help ease the housing crisis and make a far greater impact on the lives of people experiencing homelessness because homelessness, at the end of the day, is not a housing supply problem; it is a social and economic policy problem. The Government could solve it; it just does not.

The Hon. ROSE JACKSON (Minister for Water, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Youth, and Minister for the North Coast) (16:46): I thank the honourable member for bringing the motion to the Chamber and for the opportunity to speak about what we can all do to address homelessness. It is really important to acknowledge first up that whilst World Homeless Day is an opportunity for each and every one of us in the community to look at what we can do as individuals to challenge the kind of systemic and entrenched disadvantage we see in the community, this New South Wales Government does not see action on homelessness as a form of charity—a nice thing to do by occasionally putting a couple of pennies in the government version of a poor box. We see it as core business. It is not about doing the nice thing and getting that important, warm feeling that donors to charity might get when they make a personal contribution. Of course, we welcome that; it is an important part of our social fabric. But that is not the basis on which this Government invests in those services. It does it because it is a fundamental obligation for Government to make sure that people's basic needs are being met. Housing and shelter are basic needs.

We see it as a critical contribution to the social contract. It is also a really important investment. Money spent on homelessness is an investment, and that is the way the Government sees the record $6.6 billion that it put on the table in the recent budget. It is not about making a contribution and that being the end of it. The dividends that will be paid year on year from building a system in which people are not experiencing the physical health, criminal justice and economic disadvantages and social dislocation that are associated with homelessness will make us all better off in the long run. Those are important principles because, when you see homelessness not as a personal failure but as a policy failure and when you recognise that the historic $6.6 billion investment is not charity or a one‑off but part of our social contract, you reach the conclusion that the investment is justified and warranted. That is the foundation for our commitment.

Government does have an obligation to step up but, as the mover of this motion said, each and every one of us can make a contribution and has agency. Nedd Brockmann has shown that through his efforts. For him, it is ultramarathon running. I recognise that it is not going to be for everyone, but all of us in our own way and in our own lives can make that contribution. For each and every one of us, the spirit of giving, volunteering, charity, care and concern for our fellow person are really important motivators. We must ensure that the combination of governments making historic investments to change the system and individuals recognising the power and agency leads to the game-changing development of a society in which homelessness is rare, brief and non‑recurring.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL (16:49): I make a contribution in support of the motion moved by Dr Sarah Kaine—the Hon. Dr Sarah Kaine?

The Hon. Rose Jackson: All the titles.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: Indeed. I acknowledge that interjection. It is a good motion. It is important to pick up on what the Minister said in her contribution. It is a time for us all to reflect on what we can do to support those who have greater needs than we do. Thinking about what I should say about Nedd Brockman, I wrote, "Nedd Brockman equals legend". That could be the end of my contribution because what he has done, particularly in his ultramarathon effort, is nothing short of extraordinary. I will not go into the detail that the mover spoke about in her motion, but I cannot even begin to imagine the physical impact that running that prolonged distance over that time would have on your body, and the mental fortitude that is needed to make it through. It is incredible.

The fact that there was so much money raised and there were so many people there to support him is an obvious testament to the kind of young man he is. He came to prominence in 2022 when he ran from Perth to Bondi. In preparation for the debate, I read that he is originally from Forbes, and that moving to Sydney and seeing more visible homelessness was what called him to action. The reason that resonated with me is that I was in Sydney with my kids during the school holidays in the middle of the year. My girls are 11 and 6 years old. We spent time in the city and my eldest daughter asked, "Mum, how come I see so many homelessness people when I come to Sydney? Why don't we have them in Gunnedah?" I said that we do, but that it is probably not as obvious. There are resources available, but it is not the visible sleeping on streets like in the city.

I had the conversation with my girls that some things are more "in your face" in a metropolitan area. That does not mean it is not happening where we live. It is also a reminder that some people just need help. They are not lucky enough to have a roof over their head, somewhere to stay and be warm and safe, or something to eat. As parents, it is a powerful opportunity to talk to our kids about being grateful for what we have and paying forward whatever gives you an advantage in life. For Nedd, it is ultramarathon running. I can definitely declare that will never be how I do it, but we can find ways to be better humans and support people who need help. In this instance, it is for people who are homeless, but there is a range of great organisations that support people in need. We should be doing it in the positions that we have, and instilling in the next generation that it is important to give to others. I support the motion. I congratulate the member on bringing it before the House so members can talk about something that makes a big difference to a lot of people in the country.

The Hon. EMILY SUVAAL (16:52): I also speak in support of the motion and thank the honourable member for bringing it to the House. As has been canvassed by other members in the debate, it is not one simple factor that contributes to homelessness; there are many factors and many solutions. Cost of living is an issue at the moment, as is the lack of available and affordable housing. The Government has taken many initial steps to addressing the crisis, but the solution is not simple. The Government is pulling every lever available. The median cost of rent in Byron Bay at the moment is $909. That is higher than the inner west, the Hills or Burwood. The median rent in Tweed is $825. That is more than Parramatta, Hornsby or Canterbury-Bankstown. That paints a picture of some of the issues behind increasing rates of homelessness, particularly in regional areas on the North Coast. Many complex issues feed into the issues up there, but the median rent is one of many.

World Homeless Day was on 10 October. We want to recognise the many non-government organisations, lived experience and community groups that do so much in this space. I was not aware until earlier in the debate that we have made the really wise decision to donate food to St Stephen's Uniting Church. That is a wonderful initiative. I commend your work, Mr President, and the work of the Parliament in doing so. That is really good to hear.

I also talk about the $100 million Homelessness Innovation Fund recently announced by the Minister. It is a critical fund. We have heard other members talk about the 26 per cent increase in rough sleeping over the past year. The fund will reduce reliance on private hotels and motels and increase listening to expertise and lived experience of non-government partners and frontline services. It will support the much-needed service delivery overhaul to help the Government deliver and support better responses to homelessness. We heard earlier in question time about the work being done in Telopea. That was social housing that had been boarded up and forgotten. That was one of many steps that the Government is taking to help tackle the homelessness crisis. We can and will do more. I end by acknowledging Nedd Brockman and his extraordinary efforts in this space.

The Hon. RACHEL MERTON (16:55): I make a brief contribution in support of the important motion moved by the Hon. Dr Sarah Kaine, acknowledging World Homeless Day and the critical issues of homelessness across New South Wales and beyond. On 10 October 2024 we observed World Homeless Day to raise awareness of the challenges of and remind ourselves of the issues of homelessness and what our role may be. I highlight some of the concerns raised by my colleague the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones about homelessness in New South Wales, including a 26 per cent increase according to street count records. I register my concern about the communities that she listed where we see such an increase. Through visiting communities, I have seen it firsthand when walking down the streets, participating in meetings and coming across those people.

Like the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, I have young daughters. They have been confronted when they come to the city. They see the cardboard box and crate "bedrooms" on the streets and they cannot quite understand how it happens. We then talk about how a lot of it is the result of other issues like mental health, family and employment. Homelessness is very complex and I accept that the Government has acknowledged that today. I also register that I have participated in the street count. I have been in the CBD with a torch with officials. We have looked through the CBD for homeless people. The reality of where those people live in our city can be confronting. I acknowledge the volunteers and the work of the member for Sydney; I was in his team that night.

I also highlight the invaluable work of organisations, churches, charities and community groups. I draw on my direct experience volunteering with the Salvation Army in terms of collecting clothes and working in the Crown Street kitchen. I thought I did an all right job in the kitchen and hope to return again this Christmas. In terms of government services and funding to frontline services, it is also important to acknowledge how valuable the volunteers, community sectors and non-government sectors are in delivering services, the connections they can make to other services and the support they provide— [Time expired.]

The Hon. CAMERON MURPHY (16:58): I support this important motion recognising World Homeless Day on 10 October this year. Housing is a right, in my view. People should not be reliant on the goodwill of charity and the many organisations that do a terrific job helping people. Housing should be a right. I like that the motion recognises the great work the Minister has done in achieving an enormous $6.6 billion investment in housing in New South Wales. An important thing about that investment—something that the Minister has spoken about on many occasions—is how this Government will prioritise housing for victims of domestic violence, because one of the fastest growing areas of homelessness that I see in the community is older women who are rendered homeless after a separation. On the one hand, they are starting again with no money because of financial arrangements or, on the other hand, they are fleeing domestic violence and are leaving with nothing and having to start again.

It is a blight on our society that that occurs in the first place. It is the obligation of the Government and all of us as members of Parliament to ensure that people have a roof over their heads, because people have a right to housing. It's a fundamental social and economic right, and it is the obligation of governments to provide that. World Homeless Day recognises the problem. The Government is treating it as a serious issue and doing what it can to fix it. Of course we have to do more. I hope that there will be a day when we do not have that issue, when people do not need to rely on charity for goodwill and when everybody has a roof over their heads.

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (17:01): Homelessness is not a choice. It is something that can happen to anyone, from any walk of life, and it is an issue we cannot afford to ignore. On census night in 2021, over 122,000 Australians were experiencing homelessness, and that number is rising. It is not just a statistic; it is people who have lost the stability and security that most of us take for granted. What drives someone into homelessness? There is not a simple answer and there is not just one thing. The cost of living, housing affordability stress or even a sudden crisis can leave someone without a roof over their head. It is more than just rough sleeping. Think of those who couch-surf, live in overcrowded homes or move from shelter to shelter. They are experiencing homelessness too. They may not be on the streets, but they are without a safe, reliable place to call home.

The face of homelessness is changing. More women, especially single parents, are seeking help. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are disproportionately affected. People living with mental illness are being left behind. And let us not forget the impact of the current cost-of-living crisis. More than ever, families and individuals struggle to keep a roof over their heads. The statistics tell us that in 2022-23, over 273,000 people sought help from homelessness services. That is a 5.2 per cent increase since 2016, and 53 per cent of those people were at risk of homelessness. It is about more than numbers; it is about the impact homelessness has on real lives. It is about children who do not know where they will sleep tonight. It is about individuals losing hope because they cannot afford a home, even in a country as wealthy as ours. It is about how we respond as a society.

On World Homeless Day, it is inspiring to see people like Nedd Brockmann, who completed his marathon run today and raised a significant amount of money. Nedd's efforts inspire hope, and I commend his dedication to the cause. But let us be clear: This crisis did not come out of nowhere. The Government needs to step up now. We need to act. We need to ensure that the safety nets are there when people need them most, whether that is better mental health services, more affordable housing or stronger financial support. We must do more. Every person deserves a place to call home.

The Hon. Dr SARAH KAINE (17:04): In reply: I thank honourable members for their contributions—the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones, Ms Abigail Boyd, Minister Rose Jackson, the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, the Hon. Emily Suvaal, the Hon. Rachel Merton, the Hon. Cameron Murphy and the Hon. Aileen MacDonald. I do not propose to go through all of the contributions from those members; I only make a few observations. The first one is that the genuine commitment across the Chamber to address the issue of homelessness and other related issues is heartening. While there were clearly points made about the actions of this Government, and points could be made about the actions of the previous Government, generally the spirit in which members engaged in this discussion was one of joint concern and a joint commitment to make improvements.

The Minister for Housing has a true and honest recognition of how vexed and complex the issue is. I have brought motions before the House about homelessness and housing, and I have said almost the same words, not at all in a self-congratulatory way. The $6.2 million in funding that we have spoken about is important, but in no way have I ever heard or seen the Minister suggest that that is it, the problem is solved and we can tick that box. As I said, it is not self-congratulatory. It is a sobering reality that we cannot celebrate when there is so much work that needs to be done.

As revealed by a number of speakers, it is important to ensure a balance between taking a compassionate approach to those in need and not adopting a paternalistic approach that suggests that they have done something wrong and that we, in our wisdom or luck, will help them. As the Hon. Cameron Murphy said, we share a collective responsibility to provide fundamental rights to our citizens. But we must also match that collective responsibility with a commitment as individuals to do what we can to make things better. I genuinely ask other members of this place who are concerned about our local community, and who are as vexed, troubled and confused as I am as to what we can do to make things better, to have a chat with me. Let us figure out if there is something we can do in our local area to make things a bit better. Please come and have that discussion, and I welcome any suggestions.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.