Please join Senator Larissa Waters for a conversation with neighbours and frontline workers from across the Sunshine Coast to discuss how we as a community can push for change so that everyone has a roof over their head -- in a wealthy state like Queensland.
We’ll discuss the factors pushing people into homelessness in the Sunny coast, and what local organisations are doing to respond to this situation, please come along.
In Australia, millions of people have been priced out of the housing market. And not just to buy. For many, rent is unaffordable. People on the lowest incomes are hit the hardest: renters pay a small fortune for houses that are often not appropriate for their or their family’s needs, or for a house that is never repaired, or is simply too expensive.
About 300,000 people will be homeless at some stage this year, with large jumps in the number of women seeking housing and homelessness support services. This includes a lot of older women.
Even before COVID, the Queensland social housing waiting list had blown out to almost 40,000 people, including 15,000 children -- an increase of 22% from the previous year. The Queensland government’s Housing Strategy will only deliver around 450 new homes every year.
At the same time, the federal government gives out millions in subsidies for property investors, and nowhere near enough for public housing or services to help people who have become homeless.
Decisions to cut housing affordability programs like the NRAS (National Rental Affordability Scheme) are not driven by lack of financial resources but by spending priorities. Expensive tax giveaways are still on the table for after the pandemic. Cutting corporate taxes means fewer resources to fund social payments to lift students, carers, parents and pensioners out of poverty -- to lift women of all ages out of poverty.
This event is open to people of all walks of life and everyone is welcome to come along. You don’t have to know anything about politics to join us. It will be a relaxed, friendly environment with guest speakers, to be announced soon.
BOKARINA QLD 4575