Public housing
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): My question is to the Premier. A single mother with three children who urgently needs a public housing placement was told by the department that if you live in your car, you will have a roof over your head and you will not be added to the waiting list. Why is the Premier failing this vulnerable woman and her young children?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:08): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. If the Leader of the Opposition can provide me with the source of that quote and the person that that quote is attributed to, I will absolutely follow this up. I am appalled that that comment would be made to a person – in this instance a single mother – experiencing housing vulnerability. I am appalled at that claim that has been made. I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to provide further information to the house for this to be investigated.
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): Bendigo Family and Financial Services have been telling their clients who apply for public housing that they are best not to mention they are couch surfing because this would be viewed as them having a place to stay and therefore not being a priority for housing. Is it government policy that couch surfing is an acceptable form of housing in Victoria?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:09): I note for the record, Speaker, that the Leader of the Opposition did not provide any evidence to the house to substantiate his earlier claim, and I can say this very clearly: the member’s claim about what is and is not a government policy is not correct. I know Bendigo Family and Financial Services well. The member for Bendigo West and I were there earlier this year meeting with Jenny and the team to talk about the cost-of-living challenges that are experienced by people in my community that are replicated in other vulnerable communities around the state. We are proud as a government to have provided support to organisations like Bendigo Family and Financial Services, who do a terrific job supporting vulnerable people in our community. We have provided them with a range of supports to continue that assistance they provide to people in our community, and we will continue to do so in every way we can.