Adequate housing - an issue for everyone

Future Directions For SAAP

The Commonwealth Government will be spending more than $600 million over the next five years to continue the SAAP program, plus an extra $45 million, over the life of the next SAAP.

I am both pleased and relieved to note that all States and Territories have agreed with us to commit to a new SAAP, as a joint program, for another 5 years. I envisage the Commonwealth continuing to offer SAAP national leadership and coordination, and I also acknowledge strongly the commitment by all Ministers to develop together a workable framework for the new SAAP.

As you know, the National Evaluation named many successes in SAAP III such as case management, and has made many useful observations which we will build on for SAAP IV.

Building Sustainable Communities

We must stop thinking of SAAP as a solo program and start thinking much more creatively. I repeat - we need to explore further the great potential to link SAAP with other types of human services, beyond those I've mentioned today. If we set up good linkages, we will certainly get improved client outcomes and more seamless service delivery.

But we also have to think more broadly about the capacities of the communities in which we live. This emphasis on capacity-building is reflected in the agreement I reached earlier this month with State Housing Ministers. This new, four-year, $4 billion agreement sets down the very great importance we place on building sustainable communities. My government's concept of sustainable communities places housing right at its core.

One part of the concept is for a diverse and innovative housing sector that supports people where they want to live; fosters sustainable communities and links housing well to other programs.

In helping foster such a "social coalition", we are moving more to community involvement in developing and delivering the services we provide. As with SAAP, my department contracts community organisations to deliver family relationships and disability employment and other services.

This ensures that government services go beyond merely supporting individuals. With this community-based approach, we can help to develop the capacity of families and communities to sustain and support themselves. This is a vital part of the shift away from a remedial focus of the past to a focus on prevention, early intervention and capacity building.

At the local level, we are also encouraging businesses to put something back into their communities, through the Business and Community Partnerships program. This promotes to business and communities the benefits that both partners can reap from working together to help their fellow Australians and to enrich community life.

One successful example of this is a partnership between Freehill, Hollingdale & Page and the Sydney City Mission, which was nominated as a finalist in the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Business and Community Partnerships. This joint venture runs a shopfront that gives free legal support, advice and representation to more than 200 homeless and disadvantaged clients each year.

Promoting partnerships like these, however, in no way represents a diminution of the Government's responsibility to provide the modern social safety net to people in genuine need. What it does do, is recognise that all sectors - businesses, communities and governments alike - have a role in building the capacities of families and communities to support themselves, and to help prevent problems, rather than just focusing our efforts on direct intervention.

Conclusion

I want to see over time a reduction in the demand on SAAP services because of the success of early intervention programs.

And I want to see better linkages between SAAP services and general community services to optimise the totality of support that we can give to those who do become homeless.