Senator FIELDING (Leader of the Family First Party) (2:45 PM) —My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Evans. Figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that more than 100,000 people are homeless in Australia. The report also found that about 16,000 people are sleeping rough in improvised shelters. Family First is aware that there is a green paper and that a policy process is underway, but the need for action is urgent. Will the minister tell us how many children are missing out on school as a result of homelessness?

Senator Abetz —Good question.

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) —I thank Senator Fielding for the question and, as Senator Abetz observed, it is a good question. Senator Abetz ought to take some notes on how to ask a good question.

Senator Fielding is right to refer to the ABS report released today, which estimates the number of homeless people in Australia, using data from the 2006 census. It is a very confronting report. It indicates that total homelessness has increased by five per cent from 99,900 in 2001 to 105,000 in 2006—105,000 people who at that stage were classified as homeless. There was also an increase in those sleeping rough from 14,000 in 2001 to 16,300 in 2006.

The Senator referred to young people. The report notes that there has been some decrease in the youth homelessness figure, but it still stands at almost 18,000. These figures are from 2006, but the figures in this report are the most recent ones that we have. We know that these figures reflect the current reality that there are large numbers of people who are homeless and sleeping rough. That is why, upon coming to government, we made homelessness a priority. This government is committed to trying to address these very serious issues. That commitment and the need for that commitment are reinforced by this report.

We have already committed $150 million to building new homes for homeless Australians. We have announced $2 million for RecLink, the organisation behind the inspirational Choir of Hard Knocks, which is designed to run sport and recreational programs for people who are homeless. We are also supporting the homeless world soccer cup. I have had some involvement in trying to organise visas for what I think is a tremendous initiative.

We are, as you acknowledged, developing a white paper to set out the agenda for tackling homelessness through to 2020. The white paper will be considered by cabinet in the next few weeks. It will then be discussed with the states and territories as part of the COAG process. So while I concede that that is a longer term project in one sense, I think it does reflect the urgency of the government and it does reflect the need to tackle the problem in a whole way rather than just throwing little bits of money at various problems. The white paper is about us fundamentally attacking the problem of homelessness in this country. It is a very serious problem. For the first time for many years we have a Minister for Housing, Ms Tanya Plibersek, who is really working hard on this issue. The minister for FAHCSIA, Jenny Macklin, is also highly focused on it. So I think we will get real progress in these areas. We have a framework, I think, for a very serious assault on this most confronting problem. There are some measures we have taken immediately—more needs to be done. If there is anything else I can get for the Senator in answer to his question about specific numbers, I will take that on notice and try to get back to him.

Senator FIELDING —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Earlier this year the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released a report showing that in 2006-07 almost 70,000 children went with their parents into crisis centres for the homeless. That figure is up almost 30 per cent from the previous year. More than two-thirds of the children sleeping in crisis accommodation were under 12 years of age. The average age was just six years old. Most of the school-age kids were not attending school. Isn’t cutting welfare payments for parents whose kids cannot get to school because of homelessness going to make the problem even worse?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) —Senator Fielding, no. I think that is a very simplistic attack and it really does not do justice to the size of the problem. What the government announced the other day was an attempt to have a new approach to try to get kids to school—to try to assist families to ensure that their kids go to school. We all know that that is so important for kids’ chances in life. We announced that we had a program as a last resort to try to help those families deal with the fact that they were just not coping as a result of the other measures that were put in place. That is a serious policy addressed to a serious problem. Homelessness is a serious problem that we are also addressing in a very fundamental way. There is a link between the two, but our approach is to tackle these problems head-on. I stand by both initiatives and they will both contribute to getting a much better result in terms of support for homeless kids.