“The 2023-24 Federal Budget contains several positive but relatively small-scale measures to support the people served by Mission Australia and other community services organizations,” stated Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia.
We accept the Government’s sincere engagement with the community sector and its intention to lessen some strains on struggling people. However, the failure to make a meaningful effort to combat poverty by significantly raising JobSeeker and other income support payments is a glaring and ongoing disappointment.
Additionally, nothing can stop more individuals from being forced into homelessness nationwide. There has yet to be a new, large-scale plan to address the current severe housing disaster. “Poverty is a common experience among the individuals that we assist.
The Government’s initiatives on housing for low-income workers remain sensible policies that will eventually see some more social housing, but nothing by way of urgent relief for people without safe and affordable houses. Along with our industry colleagues, we will keep pressuring Government to initiate action to address poverty and homelessness constructively.
“While Mission Australia welcomes several new Budget measures that seek to increase social and affordable housing supply, they’re only small steps towards ending homelessness amidst Australia’s escalating housing emergency, which is driving too many people and families into homelessness,” said Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia.
These new budgetary initiatives include tax incentives to encourage investment in build-to-rent homes and an increase of $2 billion to the NHFIC liability cap. We also accept that the Federal Government is working to improve energy efficiency of social housing stock, fund programs that link homeless individuals with primary care services, and try to change zoning laws and renters’ rights.
As a provider of homeless services and community housing, we know these measures fall short of what is required to solve Australia’s housing and homelessness crisis. Although the Government has outlined a course of action, we haven’t yet observed investment flowing to the necessary places. All political leaders must take a bold and dedicated stance on this subject to meet the nation’s critical need for more social and affordable housing.
Over 20 years, there must be a need for about one million new colonial and cheap houses to accommodate the increased demand. Our frontline employees nationwide say the housing situation is worst they have ever seen, and rents are at an all-time low. Everyone should have safe place to live.
However, due to years of government underinvestment, there is still not enough affordable and suitable housing in Australia for everyone who needs it. Services for people experiencing homelessness helped more than 270,000 persons in 2017.
Homelessness disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; they make up 20% of the homeless population but only 3.2% of the general population. Beyond its current pledges, the Federal Government must significantly increase its investment and leadership to increase supply of new social as well as affordable housing significantly.
“We are also extremely concerned about lack of investment in preventing youth homelessness,” Ms Callister continued. In particular, we anticipated seeing a commitment to new Youth Foyers around the country to offer essential housing, education, and work opportunities and support homeless youth or at risk of being the chance of succeeding.
They have been shown to help young people break the patterns of homelessness and disadvantage, mainly when the youth homelessness rate is still too high.
With the assistance of the Queensland Government, Australia is scheduled to inaugurate the charity’s first Youth Foyer in Townsville later this year.
We demand federal government support to expand Youth Foyers, Ms. Callister concluded.
According to the most recent Under One Roof report, if the Federal Government invested in a growth strategy to reach 50 Youth Foyers by 2030, it would transform the lives of 20,000 young people who are caught in cycles of disadvantage and save $950 million in costs by 2030 and $2.9 billion by 2040.
“This Budget is a lost opportunity to do more for homeless and vulnerable individuals. We urge he Federal Government to adopt a more ambitious plan, pledging to take practical steps to end homelessness while creating a new National Housing and Homelessness
Agreement and building a national housing and homelessness plan. With national leadership and commitments from governments at all levels, we are sure that this goal can be achieved, said Ms Callister.
“Mission Australia has long advocated for reform of Commonwealth Rent Assistance,” stated Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia. We applaud the Federal Government for acknowledging the financial hardship many low-income households are currently experiencing.
Still, the Productivity Commission’s recommendation for a thorough assessment of the program’s appropriateness and targeting is only partially satisfied by this meagre 15% increase.
Additionally, we acknowledge lowering the age requirement for older long-term unemployed people from 60 to 55 years old and the modest $20 weekly addition to JobSeeker and other payments. The Federal Government’s persistent unwillingness to raise income support payments, such as JobSeeker, to an acceptable amount is dooming individuals and families to a life of constant struggle to make ends meet and maintain a roof over their heads.
The Federal Government throws people into challenging situations knowing that $52.85 a day doesn’t even come close to covering their basic needs. As a result, many are turning to organizations like Mission Australia for assistance for the first time in their lives.
“Adequately raising income support is essential as housing and cost-of-living pressures are having a negative impact, and those dependent on the inadequate payments are living below poverty line and struggling the most.”On behalf of a broad range of Australians from all sectors, we call on the Federal Government to permanently raise the base rate of JobSeeker and income support payments to $76 per day to prevent people from living in poverty and being homeless.
Other cost-of-living initiatives proposed in the Budget, such as energy rebates and more affordable prescription drugs, are a welcome admission that people are struggling but won’t permanently solve the issue of poverty. To guarantee that the Government continues to receive advice on these crucial concerns, it will be essential to fund the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee’s continuous work.
“We note the changed indexation arrangements for community services announced in the Federal Budget,” Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister stated. While the industry collaborates to communicate the details, we acknowledge the Government’s efforts to support community services at a time when so many Australians need help from our frontline staff.
We look forward to discuss with Government about the spectrum of other steps necessary to maintain community services’ long-term sufficiency and sustainability.
“Funding for the full cost of service delivery, including infrastructure, management, workforce development, and administration costs in all Commonwealth grants and contracts for community services, as well as extended contracts, would allow services like ours to meet the increased demand and better help people in their time of need.”
“We are delighted that this year’s Federal Budget has seized the opportunity to scale up place-based community-led work to improve well-being and equity in local communities,” said Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia. According to the new Strengthening Communities Position Paper by the Strengthening Communities Alliance, the $200 million investment is essential for addressing chronic, localized disadvantages and assisting communities in thriving.
We applaud the introduction of an impact investment fund, the expansion of the Stronger Places, Stronger People project, and the steps taken to create a framework for the entire Government that will promote place-based initiatives and enhance data and organizational capability. As the Alliance has urged, these actions will aid in laying the groundwork for the scalability and sustainability of place-based programs.
“We are interested in talking with the government about these crucial measures,”
According to Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia, “Mission Australia welcomes the $732.9 million investment to support participant outcomes and the effective and sustainable operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme” as a provider of Local Area Coordination and Early Childhood Early Intervention services.
We anticipate revisions that maximize the NDIS’s contribution to lives of people with disabilities in Australia, along with those individuals with disabilities, their carers, and families.
