Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria
Hearings and Transcripts
The Committee is holding public hearings into this inquiry on the following dates:
| Melbourne - 22 November 2019 | Bairnsdale - 2 December 2019 |
| Morwell - 3 December 2019 | Melbourne - 12 February 2020 |
| Whittlesea - 27 February 2020 | Shepparton - 11 March 2020 |
| Wangaratta - 12 March 2020 | Web streamed live - 20 May 2020 |
| Web streamed live (Dandenong witnesses) - 23 June 2020 |
Web streamed live (Footscray witnesses) - 1 July 2020 |
| Web streamed live - 2 July 2020 |
Web streamed live (Geelong/Warrnambool witnesses) - 13 July 2020 |
| Web streamed live (Youth organisations) - 14 July 2020 |
Web streamed live (Finland witnesses panel discussion) - 27 July 2020 |
| Web streamed live - 12 August 2020 |
Web streamed live - (Swan Hill/Mildura witnesses) 13 August 2020 |
| Web streamed live - (Melbourne) 9 September 2020 |
Web streamed live - (Maryborough/Bendigo) 10 September 2020 |
Further information regarding the Committee's public hearing schedule will be posted here as it becomes available.
Corrected transcripts of these hearings will also be published here when finalised by the Committee.
9 September 2020
Live broadcast of the hearing can be viewed here
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.45am | Victorian Public Tenants Association Katelyn Butterss - Manager, Policy and Communications |
|
| 11.30 am |
City of Melbourne |
 Presentation258.76 KB |
| 1.15 pm | Panel Discussion Ambulance Victoria Assoc. Professor Tony Walker - Chief Executive Officer Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Timothy Hansen, Service Delivery Transformation Command |
|
| 2.15 pm | Grattan Institute Mr Brendan Coates - Program Director, Household Finances |
Presentation690.99 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Victorian Department of Health and Human Services Mr Ben Rimmer - Director of Housing Ms Sherri Bruinhout - Deputy Commander, COVID-19 Public Housing Response, and Executive Director, Housing Pathways and Outcomes Housing Division |
Presentation489.32 KB |
10 September 2020
Live broadcast of the hearing can be viewed here
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00 am |
Panel discussion - Local Government Martin Collins - General Manager, Community Wellbeing |
|
| 10.45 am | Housing Justice Kirsty Waller - Manager |
|
| 11.30 am | Ballarat Community Health Jane Measday - General Manager, Social Support, Ballarat Community Health Katrina Leehane - Manager, Youth, Family and Community Support, Ballarat Community Health Mr Warrick Davison - Assistant Senior Manager, Housing and Homelessness, Uniting |
|
| 12.00 pm |
Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation Hazel Hudson - Family Services Manager |
|
| 1.45 pm |
Sidney Myer Haven HeyVan Terry Westaway - Chair Matthew Parkinson |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00am | Loddon Mallee Homelessness Network Mellissa Edwards, Network Coordinator |
Transcript133.07 KB |
| 10.45am | Panel discussion Mildura Rural City Council Mark Jenkins, Manager Community Futures Renée Ficarra, Community Development Officer Mallee Accommodation and Support Service (MASP) Gary Simpson, CEO Mallee Haven; Home, Safe Trevor Gibbs, General Manager |
Transcript251.56 KB |
| 12.00pm | Mallee Family Care Teresa Jayet, CEO |
Transcript213.36 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00 am | Panel discussion Mind Australia Dr Sarah Pollock, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Victorian Branch Dr Kerryn Rubin, Chair |
Transcript183.67 KB |
| 11.00 am | Monash University Dr Brian Vandenberg, Health Economist, School of Social Sciences |
Transcript219.70 KB |
| 11.45 am | Anglicare Victoria Paul McDonald, CEO |
Transcript238.71 KB |
| 1.30 pm | Office of the Public Advocate Colleen Pearce, Public Advocate |
Transcript232.82 KB |
| 2.30 pm | Panel discussion Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Magistrate Pauline Spencer, Head, Specialist Courts Division Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO) Marius Smith, CEO Sarah Hughes, Program Manager, ReConnect |
Transcript271.88 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
|
4.00 pm Melbourne (9.00 am Helsinki, Finland) |
Panel discussion Y Foundation (Y-Säätiö) Juha Kaakinen, CEO Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland Jarmo Linden, Director |
Transcript219.47 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 2.00 pm | Panel discussion Centre for Multicultural Youth Jemal Ahmet, Executive Manager Programs and Services Bec Lean, Program Manager – South East Youth Projects Melanie Raymond, Chair Melbourne City Mission Vicki Sutton, CEO |
Transcript167.30 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Mission Australia Nada Nasser, State Director Troy Crellin, Manager of Social Enterprises Kea Bamblett-Edwards |
Transcript233.49 KB |
| 4.15 pm | Youth Affairs Council Victoria Sebastian Antoine, Policy & Research Officer Cassandra Prigg |
Transcript232.30 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00 am | Barwon South West Homelessness Network Rebecca Callahan, Homelessness Network Coordinator |
Transcript138.74 KB |
| 10.45 am |
Emma House Domestic Violence Services Mary Clapham, Manager |
|
| 11.45 am |
Bethany Community Support |
Transcript221.34 KB |
| 1.15 pm | The Geelong Project Associate Professor David Mackenzie, Director Anne-Marie Ryan, Executive Officer Max Broadley, Executive Director Ken Stewart, Geelong High School Bec Glen, Project Coordinator, The Albury Project |
Transcript313.87 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Wellways Kate Higgins, Regional Manager, Western Victoria Rosalie Frankish, Housing Programs Coordinator, Victoria |
Transcript222.20 KB |
| 4.00 pm | City of Greater Geelong Robyn Stevens, Director Janice Lane, Manager |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00 am | Western Homelessness Network Sarah Langmore, Coordinator Zoe Vale, Chair |
Transcript178.19 KB |
| 10.45 am | McAuley Community Services for Women Jocelyn Bignold, CEO Megan |
Transcript192.33 KB |
| 11.45 am | Maribyrnong City Council Mr Malcolm Roberts-Palmer, Senior Social Policy and Research Officer Brimbank City Council Brook Quinn, Social Policy Officer Community Planning & Advocacy |
|
| 1.45 pm | Unison Housing James King, Acting Chief Executive Officer Sue Grigg, Director Housing |
Transcript185.43 KB |
| 2.30 pm | WEstjustice Melissa Hardham, Chief Executive Officer |
Transcript200.93 KBResponse to QoN |
| 3.30 pm | Per Capita Emma Dawson, Executive Director Abigail Lewis, Research Associate |
Transcript183.71 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcript |
| 10.00 am | Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Dr Michael Fotheringham, Executive Director |
Transcript196.19 KB |
| 10.45 am | Infrastructure Victoria Dr Jonathan Spear, Deputy Chief Executive & Chief Operating Officer Llewellyn Reynders, Team Leader, Policy and Strategy |
Transcript173.72 KB |
| 11.30 am | COTA Vic Tina Hogarth-Clarke, Chief Executive Officer Housing for the Aged Action Group Inc. Fiona York, Chief Executive Officer |
|
| 1.15 pm | Law Institute of Victoria Mel Walker, Criminal Law Section Co-Chair Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Professor the Hon Kevin H Bell AM QC, Director |
|
| 2.45 pm |
Domestic Violence Victoria Jeanette Large, Chief Executive Officer |
|
| 4.00 pm | Uniting Vic.Tas Bronwyn Pike, Chief Executive Officer Jenny Smith, Senior Manager of Homelessness Services at Uniting |
Transcript191.42 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 10.00 am | Southern Homelessness Services Network Ruth Gordon, Homelessness Network Coordinator - Southern Region |
Transcript141.38 KB |
| 10.45 am | Bolton Clarke Mary-Anne Rushford, Manager - Homeless Persons Program Julie Fry, Team Coordinator Karyn Gellie, Team Coordinator |
Transcript216.19 KB |
| 11.30 am | Towards Home + Frankston Rough Sleeper Initiative Amanda Williams, Service Manager, Towards Home+ Frankston, Neami National Karren Walker, Group Manager, Entry Points, Launch Housing Lauren Crawford, Assertive Outreach, Program Manager, Getting Housing, Launch Housing |
Transcript142.07 KB |
| 12.45 pm |
Panel discussion Greater Dandenong City CouncilAshish Sitoula, Team Leader Community Advocacy Frankston City Council Venita Mackinnon, Social & Community Planner Mornington Peninsula Shire Council John Baker, CEO Casey City Council Nick Grant-Collins, Acting Coordinator Inclusion & Wellbeing, Connected Communities |
Transcript285.69 KB |
| 2.30 pm | Wayss Elizabeth Thomas, CEO Sean Quigley, Manager, Dandenong Homelessness Services |
Transcript217.36 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Brotherhood of St Laurence Professor Shelley Mallett, Director, Research & Policy Centre Emma Cull, Senior Manager Youth, Service Development |
Transcript215.67 KB |
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 11.00 am- 1.00 pm | The Salvation Army Shane Austin Victorian State Manager Council to Homeless Persons Jenny Smith, CEO Launch Housing Bevan Warner, CEO St Vincent's Hospital Margaret Stewart, Executive Director Mission |
Transcript271.05 KB |
Thursday 12 March 2020
The Ovens Room, The Quality Hotel Gateway Wangaratta, 29-37 Ryley Street Wangaratta Victoria 3677
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 9.30 am | Rural City of Wangaratta Jamie Chubb, Director - Community Wellbeing |
Transcript148.08 KB |
| 10.15 am | Women's Health Goulburn North East Amanda Kelly, CEO |
Transcript216.41 KB |
| 11.15 am | Darran Stonehouse Lecturer - Social Work, La Trobe University |
|
| 12.00 pm | NESAY (North East Support & Action For Youth Inc.) Leah Waring, CEO Claire Anderson, Community Services Manager Georgie Gray, Youth & Family Services Manager |
Transcript250.11 KB |
| 1.30 pm | Junction Support Services Michelle Fell, Client Services Manager Katharine Hodgens, Senior Manager |
Transcript244.04 KB |
| 2.15 pm | Towong Shire Council Lenny Jenner, Acting CEO |
Transcript219.96 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Community Comment • Michelle Harmer • Cassandra Pollock • Sue Ingleton • Leah Khoo • Kirstin Seaver |
Transcript211.82 KB |
Wednesday 11 March 2020
The Connection, Shepparton, 7287 Midland Hwy, Shepparton VIC 3630
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 9.30 am | Berry Street, Shepparton Youth Foyer Anita McCurdy, Education First Youth Foyer Manager Shepparton Brotherhood of St Laurence Mark Cox, Foyer Practice Dr Joseph Borlagdan, Foyer Research and Evaluation |
Transcript164.52 KB |
| 10.15 am | Shadac Inc (The Cottage Shepparton) Maria Hutchison, Director Rob Bryant, Founder Timothy Ridgeway, Support Worker |
|
| 10.45 am | The Bridge Youth Services Shepparton Melinda Lawley, CEO Renae Ford, Program Manager - Youth & Family Support |
Transcript127.21 KB |
| 11.30 am | Greater Shepparton City Council Cr Seema Abdullah, Mayor Kaye Thomson, Director Community |
Transcript144.16 KB |
| 12.15 pm | Primary Care Connect Shepparton Rebecca Lorains, CEO |
Transcript202.62 KB |
| 1.45 pm | Wintringham Specialist Aged Care Bryan Lipmann, CEO Jane Barnes, Chief of Staff Gayle Reece, Regional Community Care and Outreach Manager, Cresswick, Shepparton and Geelong |
Transcript230.02 KB |
| 2.15 pm | VincentCare Marie Murfet, Hub Manager, Hume Community Hub, Shepparton Berry Street Childhood Institute Janelle Graham, Lived Experience Consultant |
Transcript204.25 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Beyond Housing Catherine Jefferies, Client Services Manager Laura Harris, Business Development Manager |
Transcript249.47 KB |
| 4.00 pm | Community Comment • Ms Suzanna Sheed, Independent Member for Shepparton • Mr Myles Peterson, Adviser to Ms Sheed • Father Simon Robinson • Chris Blizzard • Allan Mitchell • Kim O’Keeffe • Patricia Moran • Brenda Keenan • Kelly James • Aaron Gilhooley • Vicki Scott • Zafer Coskun |
Transcript164.91 KB |
Thursday 27 February 2020
Galada Community Centre, 10A Forum Way, Epping VIC 3076
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 9.30 am | Whittlesea Community Connections Belinda Leon, Manager – Community Support Emma Antonetti, Equity and Impact Manager |
|
| 10.00 am | City of Whittlesea Carmen Faelis, Team Leader Social Policy and Planning Mitchell Shire Council Jo Wilson, Manager Community Strengthening |
|
| 11.00 am | Berry Street (Northern Region), Eaglemont Office Leanne Roberts, Head of Public Policy and Media |
Transcript126.97 KB |
| 11.45 am | WISHIN (Women's Information, Support and Housing in the North) Jade Blakkarly, CEO Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women’s Service Jo Doherty, Practice Lead |
Transcript264.32 KB |
| 1.00 pm | Haven; Home, Safe Jo Smith, General Manager - Support Services South VincentCare Northern Community Hub Quinn Pawson, CEO Paul Turton, General Manager Homelessness Services Tony Clarke, Hub Manager, Northern Community Hub, Glenroy Grace Hyde, Manager, Initial Assessment and Planning team |
|
| 2.00 pm | Hope Street Youth and Family Services Donna Bennett, CEO Jennifer McAughtrie, Operations Manager |
Transcript186.64 KB |
| 2.45 pm | DPV Health Whittlesea Gerda Zimmermann, Senior Housing Case Manager |
Transcript202.64 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd Julie Bamblett, Case Manager Karin Williams, Manager – Bert Williams Aboriginal Youth Services Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) Vickianne Purcell, Program Manager Tracey Brown, Senior Caseworker, Wilam Support Service |
Transcript239.94 KB |
Wednesday 12 February 2020
Federation Room, Parliament House, East Melbourne
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 9.15 am | The HoMie Store Nicholas Pearce, Director Danielle Howe, Evaluations Manager |
Transcript123.98 KB |
| 9.45 am | Hon. Wade Noonan Executive Director, WoMEDA; Associate Director of Social Enterprise and Investment, RMIT University; Chair, JobsBank |
Transcript222.77 KB |
| 10.30 am | John O'Callaghan Deakin University Nick Jahnecke, Teaching scholar, School of Architecture and Built Environment |
|
|
11.15 am
|
Panel Discussion Housing All Australians Quest Apartment Hotels PwC Australia Metricon Community Sector Banking Simonds Group Brad Paddon, Director |
Transcript283.84 KB |
| 1.15 pm | Infoxchange David Spriggs, CEO |
|
| 1.45 pm | Kids Under Cover Sarah Davies, Board member; CEO of Philanthropy Australia Jo Swift, CEO Brittnie Stock-Lopez, former Kids Under Cover client |
Transcript203.80 KB |
| 2.30 pm | Homes for Homes/Big Issue Peter Danks, Advisor Tracy Longo, National Operations Manager, Homes for Homes |
|
| 3.15 pm | Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation Dr Catherine Brown, CEO; Expert panel member, Social Impact Investment Taskforce, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Erin Dolan, Program Manager, Affordable Housing & Homelessness |
Transcript209.88 KB |
Tuesday 3 December 2019
Conference Room, Morwell Club, 136 Helen Street, Morwell
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 10.15 am | Bass Coast Shire Council Chris Wightman, Coordinator Social and Community Planning Nina Barry-Macaulay, Senior Advocacy Officer, Bass Coast Shire Council |
Transcript153.66 KB |
| 11.00 am | The Orange Door Emma Dobson (Project Coordinator, Anglicare Victoria) Amelia Vincent (Advanced Family Violence Practice Leader, Quantum Support Services) Alicia Hudson (RAMP Coordinator, Quantum Support Services) Teressa Watt (Team Leader, Latrobe Community Health) |
Transcript152.27 KB |
| 11.45 am | Quantum Support Services Naomi Webb, Practice Leader - Advocacy and Support Cheryl Barnes, Manager Homelessness Services Nicole Larkin, Practice Leader - Homelessness and Support |
Transcript314.41 KB |
| 12.30 pm | Community Housing (Vic) Limited Courtney Eacott, Coordinator Homelessness Services, Gippsland Aleisha Olivier, Brief Intervention worker |
Transcript163.39 KB |
| 1.45 pm | Salvation Army Erin Price, State Manager, East Victoria Homelessness |
Transcript142.64 KB |
| 2.30 pm | Uniting Gippsland Heidi Hunter, Practice Leader, Client Services |
Transcript143.37 KB |
| 3.15 pm | Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) Corey Harrison, Executive Manager Navinda Wickramasinghe, Team Leader – Youth Services |
Transcript133.33 KB |
Monday 2 December 2019
Lakes Room, Bairnsdale RSL, 2 Bairnsdale-Forge Creek Rd, Bairnsdale
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 11.00 am | Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd Ryan Hedley, Manager Jamie Williamson, CEO Christofer Beal, Operations Manager |
Transcript170.40 KB |
| 11.45 am | Community Housing (Vic) Limited Robert Ashton, Initial Assessment and Planning Officer; Outreach Officer, Fulham Correctional Centre Sale Paula Healey, Private Rental Assistance Program worker |
Transcript150.42 KB |
| 12.30 pm | Gippsland East Local Learning & Employment Network Inc. Jane Ponting, Executive Officer |
Transcript112.17 KB |
| 1.00 pm | Allan T Coe, Wiradjuri, Eora, Yorta Yorta Elder | Transcript96.77 KB |
| 1.30 pm | Gippsland Women’s Health Service Melanie Brown, Principal Strategic Advisor - Family Violence Chris McNamara, Gippsland Homelessness Network Coordinator |
|
| 2.15 pm | Gippsland Homelessness Network Chris McNamara, Gippsland Homelessness Network Coordinator |
Transcript215.58 KB |
| 3.00 pm | Salvation Army Captains David and Claire Jones |
|
| 3.30 pm | Orbost Regional Health Louise McCarthy, Director Primary and Community Services Kathy Woods, Housing Support Worker |
Transcript122.46 KB |
| 4.00pm | Gippsland Lakes Community Health Richard Evans, Family, Youth and Childrens Services Manager Donna Pendergast, Homelessness Support Program Case Manager |
Transcript129.28 KB |
Friday 22 November 2019
Legislative Council Committee Room (LCCR), Parliament House, East Melbourne
| Time | Witness | Transcripts |
| 9.30 am | RMIT University Professor Guy Johnson, Inaugural Unison Chair of Urban Housing and Homelessness |
|
| 10.15 am | Council to Homeless Persons Kate Colvin, Manager Policy & Communications |
|
| 11.00 am | Sacred Heart Mission Cathy Humphrey, CEO; Chair, Council to Homeless Persons Board |
|
| 11.45 am | Launch Housing & HomeGround Real Estate Bevan Warner, CEO Karren Walker, Manager - Entry Points |
|
| 1.15 pm | The Salvation Army Major Jenny Begent, National Head of Social Mission Livia Carusi, General Manager Homelessness Australia Shane Austin, General Manager Homelessness Victoria; Social Mission Coordinator Victoria |
|
| 2.00 pm | Justice Connect Samantha Sowerwine, Principal Lawyer, Homeless Law Cameron Lavery, Manager & Principal Lawyer, Homeless Law |
Transcript226.57 KB |
| 2.45 pm | Victorian Council of Social Service Emma King, CEO Karen Taranto, Policy Advisor |
Transcript249.98 KB |
| 3.30 pm | Aboriginal Housing Victoria Darren Smith, CEO Jenny Samms, Special Adviser Peter Jones, Senior Policy Officer |
Transcript158.88 KB |