Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Housing spokesperson
Homelessness data released in the YWCA National Housing Survey is a stark reminder of the depth of Tasmania’s housing crisis, and the need for this issue to be addressed as a central part of our COVID recovery.
The study showed, of those surveyed, a shocking 1 in 10 Tasmanian women had experienced homelessness in the last 5 years, along with a range of other distressing statistics around access to safe and affordable housing.
Before coronavirus hit, hundreds of people around Tasmania were sleeping rough each night. New support has been put in place in response to the pandemic, but the government must commit to making this permanent.
Tasmania has the opportunity for a fresh start as we rebuild. Instead of walking straight back into a housing and homelessness crisis, we can take this chance to reshape Tasmania to be a better, fairer place.
We need a housing-led recovery.
When it comes to housing, this government may have failed the community before. They now have a second chance to make sure no Tasmanian is left in the cold.
No Tasmanian should be forced to sleep rough. The government must commit to permanently increasing support for homeless Tasmanians, and to making sure our COVID-19 recovery addresses the root causes of the housing and homelessness crisis.