Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said the 2020-21 budget delivers nothing for social housing while cutting funding for homelessness services. Millions will be let down and thrust into very difficult circumstances by the Liberals’ failure to commit to funding basic services.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This budget is an abject failure for social housing. During Covid-19, there has almost been a political consensus that strong investment in social housing would be needed to build homes and create jobs. But the Liberals have left many out in the cold.
“With Covid-19 government support being cut back and more Australians at risk of homelessness while we remain stuck in recession, we urgently need more social housing to ensure everyone has a roof over their head.
“The government has cut funding for homelessness. More than $40 million will be cut from National Housing and Homelessness Agreement funding in 2021, putting services and their clients in the lurch.
“This inhuman budget has billions for corporations, but cuts for people experiencing or at risk of being homeless.
“It’s actually quite unbelievable that the Liberals would neglect essential housing services at this time. They had no problem finding almost $700 million for expensive renovation handouts through the HomeBuilder program,” she said.
