Senator BARTLETT (Leader of the Australian Democrats) (2:31 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister representing the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Is the minister aware of the report published by the Institute of Health and Welfare which states that almost half of all homeless people seeking help through the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program are children? It also states that last financial year nearly 54,000 children were receiving assistance from SAAP because they were homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. In addition, these agencies had to turn away valid requests for immediate accommodation from around 200 accompanying children every day? Does the government accept that it has a responsibility to address this major problem? Given that these figures show no improvement from the preceding years, what extra action has the government taken?

Senator PATTERSON (Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women) —I thank the honourable senator for his question. Of course the Australian government takes homelessness amongst children very, very seriously. I welcome the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report because it provides very valuable information which we will use to improve the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program. We are moving towards the next agreement with the states on that. The report shows that SAAP is well targeted, but we are not complacent about the numbers of accompanying children receiving SAAP services.

Senator Bartlett, I think you have to look at the issue of homelessness amongst children and families with children across a broader scale. There are issues surrounding the SAAP provision, but there are other areas that cause families to be homeless. We have increased funding in family relationships counselling. We have assisted families through our very creative homelessness prevention pilots. These have been extended in this budget to over $10 million to assist families at risk to reduce the likelihood of homelessness by giving them assistance in financial planning, dealing with household organisation and maintaining their homes.

As the minister responsible for leading the debate on the effects of problem gambling, it dismays me that, although the states are making huge profits from gambling, not one state spends more than 0.5 per cent on dealing with problem gambling. That would be one of the causes of homelessness. The states are getting a huge windfall from gambling and I would expect them to spend at least a reasonable amount of that—certainly more than 0.5 per cent. The Commonwealth government contributes 60 per cent of the funding for SAAP services, and the states contribute 40 per cent. The states have had a windfall in land taxes and stamp duty, and I would expect them to come up to the plate and do better than they are in delivering SAAP services and contributing to the funding of them. The Commonwealth takes homelessness seriously, but the states do not contribute 60 per cent. We contribute 60 per cent of SAAP services funding. We have contributed more than $830 million to SAAP, which is an increase of 18 per cent, or $115 million, on the previous agreement.

We are working on a number of fronts to find suitable solutions. A number of programs complement SAAP and are aimed at addressing the problem of relationship and family breakdown—for example, Partnerships Against Domestic Violence. A total of 230 programs have been rolled out across the country, and we have committed $37.5 million in this budget to the issue of domestic violence among Indigenous families. A huge amount is being done, but the states need to come up to the plate and do more than they are doing—for example, spending some of the money from the windfall from gambling, stamp duty and land taxes on an issue which ought to be of concern to all of us. We are doing a huge amount by contributing 60 per cent of the funding of SAAP services. The states ought to be doing better.

Senator BARTLETT —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for her answer. The report also states that highest proportion of unmet needs for children were in the areas of support for sexual and physical abuse. Is the government going to provide specific extra funding targeted at this vital area? In relation to the minister's comments about the states needing to step up to the plate, why is it that just yesterday the state of Victoria claimed that it was required to put in an additional $280 million over and above the total CSHA agreement to make up what it claims are cuts and a shortfall from the Commonwealth level? Will children with unmet needs be the victims in yet another finger-pointing exercise between the state and federal governments?

Senator PATTERSON (Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women) —I think that, when you look at our record and when you look at the way in which we have managed this economy and reduced interest rates—from 17 per cent at the highest and 10 per cent when we came into government—to reasonable levels, you have got to look across the board at all the factors that affect homelessness. When you have got an interest rate of 17 per cent, you are likely to lose your house and not be able to pay your mortgage. When you have got a million people out of jobs, you are more likely to lose your house. As I said to the honourable senator, there are a multitude of factors which cause homelessness. The Commonwealth contributes $1 for every 13c on average that the states put towards housing. The states need to actually contribute their fair share and use some of that money from gambling. As I said, less than 0.5 per cent of their take from gambling is spent on problem gambling. Many of the families that you are concerned about, Senator, and I am concerned about are victims of problem gambling, and they are victims of other areas in which the states have particular responsibility. (Time expired)