National Shelter Funding

As the housing and homeless issues gain momentum across Australia, the Federal Government has announced that the Not for Profit organisation National Shelter will receive $200,000 in funding over the next two years.

Speaking at the opening of the NSW Shelter Conference, Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek said it was important that people who are homeless, private tenants and residents of social housing will continue to have their voices heard through the advocacy provided by National Shelter and other peak bodies.

The funding will allow National Shelter to bring together their state organisations and other members such as State and Territory Tenants Unions to be part of the implementation of the Government's reform agenda.

The Government also provides funding to Homelessness Australia and the Community Housing Federation of Australia.

The funding is part of the Government's $6.4 billion plan to build 20,000 new social dwellings as part of the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan.

The Minister says the Australian Government is committed to the reform process, starting with the growth of a small number of larger Not for Profit housing associations to operate alongside state government housing departments.

She says for example, state and territory housing ministers have agreed to establish single waiting lists for social housing and new quality standards for social housing and homelessness.

Chairperson of National Shelter Adrian Pisarski welcomed the funding and said that it will assist National Shelter to provide advice and develop policy responses which include tenant and housing consumer perspectives.

Pisarski says that without funding over the last decade, their capacity to effectively represent consumers had been limited.

He says in receiving this funding over the next two years, they hope to take on a much more active role in consumer advocacy by ensuring that perspective is considered on the government level.