Everyone should have a safe and secure place to call home.
Just like health and education, housing is a basic necessity. But there is nothing in Victorian law enshrining the right to a home or that creates an obligation on the government to end homelessness.
The Greens have introduced a bill to end homelessness by 2030. This bill will establish a right to housing in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and create a legislated target that will set us on a clear, accountable pathway to ending homelessness in Victoria within the decade.
Will you add your name to the open letter to show your support? Together, we can put pressure on the Victorian Government to commit to fixing the housing and homelessness crisis by 2030.
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Open letter to the Minister for Housing
Dear Minister,
Nobody in a wealthy state like Victoria should be without a home.
But decades of underinvestment in public housing, combined with the commodification of the private housing market and skyrocketing house prices and rents, means too many Victorians are facing housing stress and are at risk of becoming homeless.
On any given night in Victoria 30,000 people are experiencing homelessness. There are already over 120,000 people including children, families, and elderly Victorians on the public housing waiting list. And, thousands more are living in insecure and unaffordable housing only one rent rise away from eviction.
We've seen an increase in homelessness in Victoria, in fact, our state has the highest number of people seeking assistance for homelessness each month. Homelessness services are at breaking point.
All of us have the right to safe, secure and adequate housing.
But there is nothing in Victorian law enshrining the right to a home or that creates an obligation on the government to end homelessness.
As a concerned Victorian, I ask you to agree to end homelessness by 2030 by supporting the Greens’ Human Rights and Housing Legislation Amendment (Ending Homelessness) Bill 2023.
By establishing a right to housing in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, this government could send a powerful message to Victorians that fixing our housing and homelessness crisis is a priority.
And creating a legislated target for ending homelessness by 2030, just like we have emissions reductions targets, will set us on a clear accountable pathway to ending homelessness in Victoria within the decade.
Housing is a human right. Let’s make it part of Victorian law, and lead the country by committing to end homelessness by 2030
Yours sincerely,
Samantha Ratnam MP, Leader of the Victorian Greens
Dr Tim Read MP
Ellen Sandell MP
Sam Hibbins MP
Gabrielle de Vietri MP
Aiv Puglielli MP
Dr Sarah Mansfield MP
Katherine Copsey MP