The Brisbane Labor Opposition in Council have launched a petition calling on the LNP Council to boost funding for the Pathways Out of Homelessness Grant funding from $1 million to $5 million per year.
Speaking outside Homeless Connect at Bowen Hills on Friday, Brisbane Labor leader Jared Cassidy said the funding boost “will change people’s lives.”
“As of 30th of September, 494 adults, 438 families and 765 children are actively homeless.
“Now is the time for the Lord Mayor to cut back on overseas junkets and advertising, and boost funding to help address the real problems facing our city.”
“Council’s role must be more than enforcement. We must stand up and support the organisations who are working with people sleeping rough on our streets and in our parks to get into housing.”
The data quoted above comes from Brisbane Zero, an initiative the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH) and tracks how many people move in an out of homelessness monthly.
Numbers of homeless individuals and families remain stubbornly high. There were 438 families registered as homeless in July and September this year.
According to Council’s website, the Pathways out of homelessness grants aim to strengthen the capacity, collaboration and innovation of Brisbane-based organisations supporting residents who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The program’s goal is to help people secure and maintain sustainable housing.
Brisbane Labor argued that these organisations face the same increased cost pressures as households and businesses and were more deserving of investment over the ballooning overseas travel and advertising budget of Council.
Labor is on a renewed push for more housing available to differing income levels. Earlier this week, Cr. Cassidy moved to call on Brisbane City Council to incorporate social and affordable housing targets in new development applications. It was shot down by the LNP-majority Council.
You can view details of the petition via this link.