FARRER MP Sussan Ley yesterday backed calls to have more emergency housing available to the homeless in Albury- Wodonga.
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Ms Ley said she understood the frustrations because of the lack of viable housing and believed homelessness to be an important issue.
“It’s a high priority and I think it would be terrific to get the shadow minister for housing, Senator Marise Payne to speak to the community,” Ms Ley said.
She said the Archdeacon of Albury’s St Matthew’s Church, Father Peter MacLeod-Miller, had been a lifeline for those who were in need of housing.
Ms Ley said agencies had been working on alternatives since the closure of Quamby House.
“We need to be aware of the unique concerns in Albury,” she said.
“Especially coming into winter it is horrible that some people don’t have a roof over their head.”
Ms Ley agreed with her state counterpart, member for Albury Greg Aplin who said early intervention schemes would discover the root of the problem and prevent it in the future.
“It is unacceptable if the community and politicians let this continue,” Ms Ley said.
Mr Aplin said the government funded many organisations qualified to deal with the issue.
“The government puts $135 million into projects to prevent people from getting into these situations,” Mr Aplin said.
“The government doesn’t operate housing programs because they don’t work, they don’t do it well and it’s not their job so that is why we give funding.”
He said homelessness was an issue but not unique to the area.
Quamby House had closed its rooms but Mr Aplin said a 24-hour helpline offered care and immediate response.
He said emergency housing should not accommodate people for a long time.
“There’d be people who stayed in Quamby House for three months,” he said.
Father MacLeod-Miller is pleading for the government to do more.
He said the government needed to organise programs offering more emergency housing to homeless people.
Father MacLeod-Miller suggested politicians needed more exposure to the issue.
“Serious consideration might be given if we turn local state and federal politician’s offices into emergency accommodation,” he said.
“I’m sure a solution to the current gap in services would be quickly found.”