Wednesday, 18 June 2025

 Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (14:49): (1176) My constituency question is for the Premier. What is the government doing to address the chronic underfunding of homelessness services in the Ringwood electorate? Local homelessness providers have raised serious concerns about growing demand and declining capacity. Funding used to support crisis accommodation is insufficient, with services often unable to provide even a few nights in a motel for people in crisis. Frontline workers report that families with children, once prioritised for emergency support, are now missing out due to an appalling lack of available resources. With over 65,000 applications currently waiting for social housing and rental affordability worsening, people are presenting to services in increasingly acute need. Those that do find emergency accommodation are staying for longer because of the lack of affordable rentals and social housing options, placing added strain on already overstretched systems. Staffing shortages are compounding the crisis. The broader service system is fragmented and under-resourced, with significant gaps in mental health, drug and alcohol and youth-specific housing support.