Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Housing spokesperson
Reports that homeless Tasmanians are being turned away from Hobart’s Safe Night Space centre must be urgently addressed by the responsible Minister, Roger Jaensch.
While recent announcements of additional funding to support organisations were welcome, something is clearly not working if people are still sleeping rough during a public health emergency.
Tackling the underlying factors that created the housing and homelessness crisis will require significant commitment from government, but ensuring a warm and safe place for people to sleep this winter could be done easily and immediately.
Thousands of hotel rooms remain empty right around Tasmania. We need to follow the lead of compassionate societies around the world and use these rooms to provide temporary accommodation for those without a home. Nobody should be left behind in a pandemic emergency.
If the brokerage funds to secure these temporary accommodation nights is available, as we are told, then no homeless person should be without a bed at night.
With so many hotels sitting vacant, it’s never been easier to make sure no-one has to endure a freezing Tasmanian night without shelter.
Mr Jaensch needs to get on top of his portfolio. It is on him to ensure no Tasmanian is left out in the cold this winter